Months of debate and deliberation culminated this evening when Austin ISD trustees approved an updated list of projects to be included in a November bond proposal. The finalized package includes 32 projects at a combined cost of $1.1 billion.

"At the end of the day, we have to make a decision and move forward," Superintendent Paul Cruz said prior to the vote to approve the proposal. "There is more to come, this is not it, but this is certainly a strong beginning."

Projects included in the proposal reflect Phase 1, or the first six years of implementation, of the district's recently adopted Facility Master Plan, which outlines a 20-25 year road map of facility improvements across AISD.

A list of projects approved last week amounted to $990 million but did not include the construction of a new Northeast Austin middle school on district-owned property in the Mueller development. Allegations of regional inequity were made by the public and some members of the board, particularly trustee Ted Gordon, who represents a portion of East Austin.

The bond proposal was eventually amended to include a $61 million line item for the future northeast middle school.

Trustees expressed their broad support of the updated proposal, which according to district officials will not result in a property tax rate increase.

"What we have in front of us is a bond package that will impact every corner of the district positively and will touch nearly every one of our 84,000 students," trustee Yasmin Wagner said. "I am pleased to be able to vote for this."

Prior to the approval of the finalized bond package, trustee Julie Cowan suggested an amendment that would prioritize bond contingency funds to alleviate overcrowding in the Northwest portion of the district, as well as at Blazier Elementary School in Southeast Austin. Trustee Wagner then suggested the addition of Cowan and Baranoff elementaries to the amendment, both of which are also experiencing severe overcrowding.

The motion to approve the updated proposal, including trustee Cowan's amendment, was approved across the board.

Trustees also unanimously approved the adoption of an order calling for a November bond election, during which voters will be asked to authorize the district to utilize bond funds, as well as contingency funds from prior bonds and money acquired through the sale of district-owned lands, to fund the $1.1 billion bond package.