McAllen ISD $297 bond election: Pro vs Con
Tue, 2015-04-28 20:34
News Staff
Over the last year-and-ahalf, I have had the pleasure of co-chairing the McAllen ISD Facilities Forecast Committee. I am a strong advocate for passing the 2015 McAllen ISD bond, which is up for consideration this May election. You are receiving this message because you live, work, and may be raising a family in McAllen, and you have been identified as someone who might be interested in learning more about the bond. ou may be a product of McAllen schools, or you may know someone who teaches there, works there, or is a student there. You may have already formed an opinion on the issue, you may be undecided, or you may just have questions about the details of the $297 million bond issuance. To anyone concerned about the McAllen ISD bond election, I have a few questions for you to ask yourself: Who among us voted to build the MISD school buildings that today are over 50 years old? How about the school buildings that are today 40 years or
older, or 30 years or older? So can we agree that a previous generation initially financed the facilities that are used today? Can we also agree that construction, environmental and educational standards have changed a lot over the past 50 years? Well that’s what the 165-member Facilities Forecast Advisory Committee (FFAC) concluded too. We learned that 40 percent of MISD schools are 40 years or older and 70 percent are older than 20 years. What this translates into are:• Building and mechanical systems have exceeded their useful life. • Amenities offered at schools across the district are not equitable. • Science labs across the district are needed to address future growth. • Licenses and certifications cannot be offered due to outdated facilities. • Advances in energy efficiencies would save millions of dollars. • Campuses are not well connected for efficient student access and security enhancements are needed on nearly every campus. Our Conclusions were not based on politics or on opinion, just cold hard facts. And so a bond election has been called with the goal to transform McAllen’s schools into 21st century learning centers that are safe and secure and that will insure equity across the district. The bonds may be sold in up to three packages over a period of time (about $80 million, $137 million and $80 million). Based on market conditions this may result, by 2020, in a 17-cent per $100 of value tax increase for McAllen ISD taxpayers. On a property valued at $100,000, this equates to a gradual incremental increase beginning with an estimated $3.95 per month for the first couple of years and ending with an approximately $14.23 total per month increase by about 2020. Projects funded through the $297M bond are projected to be completed by the year 2023. The bond dollars will be spent across the school district for the benefit of not only the students of today, but for the next generation not yet born, and who will graduate in 2045. This is a once-in-ageneration opportunity to do the right thing. And the generations that come will participate in funding their own facilities, just like those before us did. While no one likes taxes and certainly do not like to raise them, it’s important to point out that McAllen ISD taxpayers have the lowest tax rates per $100 of value of any of our neighbors. This is the bonus all taxpayers have received by living in a truly great community with good schools. Even with a potential 17-cent increase, McAllen taxpayer’s rate per $100 of value will remain among the lowest in the region. Seeking to discover why the needs had not been previously addressed, the FFAC learned about major funding challenges that have prevented meaningful upgrades: • An unconstitutional Texas school finance system that short-changes our schools and the Governor continues to fight back to remedy; • A mechanism that reduces McAllen’s funding from the state because of our larger tax base in comparison with our neighbors. MISD receives less per child than some of our neighbors; and, • A current maintenance and operations budget that allows little leeway for setting aside funds for major capital improvements. To meet these challenges, the MISD board may call for a Tax Ratification Election (TRE) in September to address those remaining needs. This is a pay-as-you-go approach that is dedicated and restricted to specific items and allows for long-range systemic planning; and incurs zero indebtedness. This will produce approximately $5 million a year in additional funding for staff and faculty compensation and another $10 million a year to provide a permanent source to take care of the $142 million of other needs not in the bond amount (1/3 reallocated from the original FFAC recommendation). Voting for a $297 million bond will transform all schools into 21st century learning centers and positively impact our community for generations.