Celina Independent School District trustees are asking voters to approve $2.29 billion in new school bond debt that must be repaid with local property taxes.
With interest, the bonds would cost property taxpayers $4.5 billion, according to the district’s own estimates—double the dollar amount voters will see on the ballot.
The billions in bond funds would be spent primarily on building 11 new schools, including a $631 million high school.
Two bond propositions are on the May 3 ballot:
Prop A: $2.275 billion ($4.5 billion with interest) for school buildings and improvements.
Prop B: $20 million ($24.6 million with interest) for technology upgrades.
Local taxpayers currently owe $836 million in outstanding bond debt principal and interest.
The district passed a $600 million bond package in 2019. The previous year, Celina ISD trustees voted to spend $24.5 million in bond money to build a new sports stadium complex.
Celina ISD officials claim the district can pay for the new bonds without raising the current tax rate of $1.2358 per $100 of taxable valuation.
However, that assumes the district’s taxable value grows by 23 percent a year for the next 10 years.
Celina ISD currently serves 5,500 students but is projecting enrollment will quadruple by 2035.
In addition to the bonds, two Celina ISD school board seats are on the ballot:
Place 1 candidates are Vicky Hogue, Meagan Dungan, and incumbent Chuck Hansen.
Place 2 candidates are Michael Wagoner and Cameron Riggs.
Early voting runs April 22-29, 2025. Election Day is Saturday, May 3.
