PISD residents to vote May 7 on $481M bond

Plano ISD residents can vote on a $481 million bond package May 7.

The total bond package is divided into eight categories: renovations and upgrades, fine arts expansion, technology upgrades, classroom and program capacity expansion, early childhood education, safety and security, buses and athletics.

The bond package will be voted on in a single proposition.

The bond package, if passed, would not raise the district’s current property tax rate of $1.439 per $100 of valuation.

During a public hearing Dec. 19, some Plano ISD residents expressed a need for a performing arts center in Plano so students would not have to travel to venues in neighboring cities to get the ample seating space and improved acoustics.

About $94 million would be allocated to the district’s fine-arts program, out of which about $68 million would go toward land acquisition and building of the center.

The proposed bond package includes about $74 million for districtwide technological improvement and replacement of learning devices.

If approved, the bond package would be rolled out over a five-year period, PISD chief financial officer Steve Fortenberry said.

Funds have also been allocated for the creation of a Special Education Transition Center.

All three of Plano ISD’s senior high schools currently have a special education transition program for adults ages 18 to 22 who need to remain in the school system.

Creating a consolidated center for these students would enable the district to improve special-needs education and create additional space in the senior high schools, district officials said.

“We can offer expanded opportunities and partner with different companies for life skills and find job opportunities for these adults,” PISD board of trustees President Nancy Humphrey said.

May 24 runoff set for Ruckel, Hayden for justice of the peace

Incumbent Justice Chuck Ruckel will face opponent Thomas Hayden in a Republican primary runoff election May 24 for Collin County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3, Seat 1.

Ruckel led the March 1 primary with 39.69 percent of the vote against opponents Hayden with 31.68 percent of the vote and Andrew E. White with 28.62 percent of the vote.

Because no candidate garnered at least 50 percent of the vote, the top two vote-getters, Ruckel and Hayden, will face each other in the runoff.

In the Democratic primary, Ramona Brumfield took 68 percent of the primary vote against Michael Messer and will face the winner of the Republican runoff election in the Nov. 8 general election.

Justices of the peace hear traffic and other Class C misdemeanor cases and hear civil cases up to $10,000 in damages. Justices also preside over landlord and tenant disputes, hear truancy cases and perform various magistrate duties.

Ruckel was elected in 2012 after retiring as head of the Field Operations Division of the Collin County Sheriff’s Office. He shares Precinct 3 with Seat 2 Justice John Payton.

The precinct covers the majority of Plano as well as cities of Lucas, Murphy and Allen.

If re-elected, Ruckel said he hopes to continue to improve the court’s technologies and continue the innovative programs he has supported thus far.

Ruckel said one of his main goals is to help the court become more efficient. He recently helped move the courts to Collin County’s case management and electronic filing software.

“As the population of Collin County continues to grow, our number of cases will continue to grow,” Ruckel said. “We must respond to this growth through planning, training, technology and methodology.”

Hayden, a New York native, said he is seeking the office because he believes it is the duty of every citizen to serve the public at least once. Hayden earned his law degree from Michigan State University and received his bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in political science and constitutional law from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Hayden said he has not spent money campaigning but rather gained support through word of mouth and resources provided by the Collin County League of Women Voters.

“I hope to bring my experience to the table and try to make our justice system just a little bit better however I can,” Hayden said. “I want people to vote for the best candidate, whether they are Republican, Democrat, Independent or Libertarian—whoever is best suited for that position.”

Visit the Collin County elections website at www.collincountytx.gov for polling places and times.