Granbury Independent School District has proposed a bond that will raise local property taxes and cost more than $300 million.
The bond includes using taxpayer funds for improvements to school facilities and purchasing land for additional schools. However, despite the bond materials saying the bond will cost $161.5 million, taxpayers will be burdened with more than $315.4 million in debt when interest is included.
School district property taxpayers currently owe more than $104 million in bond debt principal and interest. All school bond debt is repaid using local property taxes.
The bond proposal includes the following:
- A new two-story elementary school with a 770-student capacity and two gyms. The projected cost is around $59 million.
- Making improvements to nine different campuses.
- Renovating the Central Transportation Center by replacing the fuel storage tanks and adding training rooms, dispatch reception, and office. The projected cost is around $1.9 million.
- Building a new transportation center which will include parking for 40 staff and 40 buses. The projected cost is around $6.4 million.
A local group, Granbury Concerned Citizens, is working to inform voters about the bond and why they should vote “no.”
The group is hosting a town hall on April 2 to educate local taxpayers about the bond’s impact on their property taxes.
Whether or not the tax rate changes when a bond first passes, the local tax liability is increased; thus, every bond is a property tax increase.
Texas law requires school districts to highlight the tax impact by including language on the ballot stating, “THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.”
Monica Brown, who is working with Granbury Concerned Citizens and is the volunteer director of True Texas Project in Granbury, told Texas Scorecard, “The bond, itself, goes far beyond building a new school and appears to be the ultimate wish list of items along with millions of dollars included that do not have a clear purpose.”
Residents Robert and Sylvia Mearns told Texas Scorecard that the school board’s past spending habits are the reason they will be voting against the bond.
“My wife and I have been attending school board meetings for the past two and a half years. We have witnessed frivolous spending on a very old Cessna aircraft that school leadership primarily operated for personal flights. We have witnessed two failed bonds previously, with constantly changing financial objectives. It’s CLEAR leadership has no vision of what is needed,” he said. “So, in conclusion, we have no confidence in Dr. Glenn nor current Granbury Independent School District leadership, and as such we are voting NO on the bond.”
Early voting in the bond election runs April 22-30.
Election Day is Saturday, May 4.
