Voters in Arlington Independent School District are being asked to approve a bond package that would add more than half a billion dollars in new debt principal to the district’s books and extend taxpayers’ obligation for decades once interest is included.
The ballot will feature three separate propositions totaling $837,358,875 with interest in new bonds.
District officials currently list Arlington ISD’s outstanding bonded debt at $1,209,795,000 in principal, with $528,087,357 in interest still owed on that existing debt alone. That means before voters even consider the new package, taxpayers are on the hook for roughly $1.74 billion in principal and interest over time, with the 2026 bond poised to push those obligations even higher once interest on the new bonds is factored in.
Proposition A is the largest piece, authorizing $743,762,802 including interest for districtwide “school facilities and buses,” including school replacements, renovations, safety upgrades, special education facilities, infrastructure work, and new buses. Proposition A is shown on the ballot without interest at $438.8 million.
Proposition B would add nearly $40,088,141 with interest for technology—hardware, software, and related upgrades for campuses—while Proposition C authorizes another $53,507,932, with interest, for athletic projects such as turf replacements in high school multipurpose athletic centers, new synthetic turf for baseball and softball fields, and added storage and equipment.
Arlington ISD says the proposed projects can be funded with an estimated one‑cent increase to the district’s current tax rate, which is $1.0929 per $100 of taxable value, including $0.2907 dedicated to paying bonded debt.
District projections claim that for an average home valued at about $300,000, the bond would mean roughly $1.50 more per month, or $18 per year, and they emphasize that taxes are “frozen” for homeowners 65 and older who already have a residence homestead exemption on file.
Still, state law requires that each ballot proposition begin with the warning “THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE,” reflecting that approving new bonds extends or increases the tax burden over time, even if the district keeps the nominal tax rate from rising sharply in the near term.
The district’s voter information document sets a maximum net effective interest rate of 5 percent for any series of new bonds and states that the maturity of the new debt cannot exceed the maximum allowed by law, meaning taxpayers could be repaying these 2026 bonds for decades.
While district officials tout past early payoffs and refinancing—claiming tens of millions in savings from prior bonds—adding more than half a billion dollars in principal will inevitably raise the total lifetime price tag far beyond the face amount once interest is added.
The pro-bond PAC, Vote for All Kids, is heavily backed by businesses that could later become vendors if the bond is approved.
The PAC received $5,000 from architecture and design firm Huckabee and Associates, $5,000 from general contractors Imperial Construction Inc., $5,000 from Joeris General Contractors, $2,500 from LBL Architects, $2,500 from PBK Architects, and $1,500 from civil engineering firm Graham Associates. The largest donation came from Students First out of Wyoming to the tune of $15,000.
The bond election will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2026. Early voting is ongoing.
