A new $33.4 million classroom building will be constructed on the Round Rock campus of Austin Community College if a bond package is approved by district voters in November.
ACC board members on June 16 approved calling a $385.9 million bond package and 3 cent tax increase election.
The bond package includes money for a 62,000-square-foot classroom building at the ACC Round Rock campus that would complement its health sciences and applied technologies programs.
"The intent is to create a campus where students can do everything," said Neil Vickers, ACC vice president of finance and budget. "This project will increase course offerings and increase the likelihood a student can stay on this campus based on their scheduling needs. Right now that only happens if [classes] so happen to meet a very specific schedule."
Also, if approved, ACC's 9.49 cent property tax rate will rise by 1 cent in fiscal years 2016, 2018 and 2020.
Residents throughout the ACC district, which includes parts of Williamson, Travis, Hays and Caldwell counties, will vote on the separate propositions for bond projects benefiting new and existing campuses. Despite having an ACC learning center, Pflugerville is not part of the college's taxing district and its residents will not vote on the bonds.
The decision to seek bond money came after more than a dozen meetings and hours of board discussion. Multiple trustees questioned whether voter fatigue could negatively impact the results of this year's election in which there is also anticipated to be a multimillion-dollar transportation bond package put forth by the city of Austin.
"I just have great trepidation for what the community will accept this year, and it has everything to do with the fatigue with property taxes," trustee John-Michael Cortez said. "Instead of speculating, let's just ask for what we absolutely have to have right now and err on the side of caution."
Cortez unsuccessfully lobbied for an alternative $244 million bond package, which drew concern from trustee Allen Kaplan because it did not include projects for Leander and Round Rock.
"We really have to continue to understand we are a regional district and not just the center of Austin," Kaplan said. "We cannot ignore the suburbs. And if we do, we do so on the pain of losing this—and we will lose this."
Cortez, however, reminded the board that ACC has undertaken many projects recently in Cedar Park, Elgin, Hays County and Round Rock. He said he thinks the suburbs have actually been the college's de facto priority.
"We've let existing campuses fall into a very sad state," he said. "I think we've actually lost focus on what we do have in Central Austin."
Cortez ultimately voted to approve the full $385.9 million bond request, with trustee Tim Mahoney casting the lone nay vote. Trustee Nan McRaven was absent. No trustees objected to the proposed tax increase.
While there is no set timeline for starting construction if the bond package is approved, Vickers said work on the proposed Round Rock classroom building could get started fairly quickly.
"Because it's a new building, the Round Rock project is not contingent upon any other work being done first," he said.
The Round Rock campus has remained at capacity, which is approximately 5,000 students, since it opened in fall 2010. Anchor programs at the campus include nursing, welding and automotive.
There is also a sense of urgency to develop more classroom space in Round Rock because it would relieve overcrowding at the ACC Cypress Creek campus in Cedar Park, Vickers said. Pending voter approval, Vickers said he expects the board to discuss project timelines before the school's winter break.
"These are the projects we need most right now, so we're not going to waste any time getting to work," he said.
The bond propositions are ACC's first in 11 years. In 2003, voters approved $99 million to build the South Austin campus and a parking garage at the Rio Grande campus in Austin, among other projects.
