Voting Resources
Taxpayers voting in the May 6 Election should study the BONDS before VOTING YES OR NO
The Texas May 6 elections are coming soon. Early voting is April 24 to May 2 and Election Day is May 6. If you are a taxpayer then you have received mail stating to VOTE FOR the school BOND in Comal County and other counties. I don’t always agree to VOTE FOR a new bond.
We are in the middle of a financial crisis throughout the U.S.A., so why would we want to raise our taxes? Texas legislators have NOT decided how they are going to use the surplus money to eliminate our property taxes. And time is running out for them to decide.
According to the Comal County Independent School District Financial Report, the District covers a large area.
The District spans over 589 square miles of central Texas and extends parts of Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, Hays and Kendall counties. This District is located within the communities of Canyon Lake, Sattler, Startzville, Hancock, Fisher, Spring Branch, Smithson Valley, Bulverde, Garden Ridge and part of the cities of San Antonio, Texas and New Braunfels, Texas. The District is a diversified agricultural and manufacturing area and is located about 20 miles north of downtown San Antonio, Texas and 45 miles south of Austin, Texas. https://4.files.edl.io/9a6d/11/29/22/132636-3e559fa9-aeda-4793-809e-7e95..., only a CPA can decipher the language used for “transparency” in the financial report in my opinion.
A reminder that voting FOR a BOND issue will mean an increase in taxes despite what the proponents claim. The money to pay for the bond has to be paid by the taxpayer. Don’t be fooled into believing that there will not be an increase in taxes or fees. Property values will probably go up IF the bond passes. According to Texas Scorecard, Texas school districts already owe $104 billion in outstanding debt that local residents are obligated to repay with property taxes. Any new debt approved by voters will be added on top of current debt levels.
Link: School Bonds-May 2023 Table | PDF (scribd.com)
PROPOSITION A
Growth & Reinvestment - $560,564,863
Proposition A will address continued district growth in the way of three new elementary schools to provide capacity relief to Bill Brown, Johnson Ranch, Oak Creek and Freiheit Elementary Schools, and a new middle school to relieve Canyon Middle School. Also funded by Proposition A is a new Life Bridges campus, a program designed to educate young adults with disabilities to increase independence in family and community settings.
In addition, more than $17 million of the proposition will fund safety and security projects throughout the district. Other projects funded from Proposition A include capital projects at existing campuses that support student programs, facility infrastructure projects such as roofs and HVAC systems to maintain the operational integrity of the campuses, buses to replace aging units, and land for future schools.
PROPOSITION B
Stadiums Projects - $46,094,984
Proposition B will address stadium safety improvements at Canyon Lake High School. The current stadium bleacher configuration only has one exit point, creating an issue when there is a need to evacuate spectators due to lighting or other emergencies. New bleachers will have multiple exit points making evacuations safer.
The other project funded by Proposition B is a bleacher expansion and fieldhouse at Davenport High School. The campus, which has seen higher than expected enrollment since it opened in 2020, was designed to have the fieldhouse added as student participation in the various programs grew at Davenport. With the addition of the fieldhouse, space currently being utilized inside the main building for athletics will be freed for non-athletic use, such as ROTC and academic classes.
Bleacher replacement for safety: CLHS
Bleacher expansion and field house: DHS
PROPOSITION C
Student Technology & Infrastructure - $28,000,000
Proposition C will fund the purchase of student learning devices, classroom audiovisual equipment, Wi-Fi expansion, and Wide Area Network (WAN) infrastructure across the district.
Student Learning Devices
Outdoor Wi-Fi
Wide Area Network
Growth Devices
Classroom Audiovisual Upgrade
For More information Bond 2023 - District - Comal Independent School District https://www.comalisd.org/apps/pages/BOND2023
It is up to each voter to decide whether paying more or higher taxes are needed in the middle of a financial crisis. The primary responsibility of the school districts is to make sure students are learning to read, write, and mathematics for a successful life!
