New polls show striking differences in perspective on Houston ISD’s upcoming $4.4 billion school bond.
Days apart, Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research and the Texas chapter of the American Federation of Teachers released polls showing wildly different responses to HISD’s bond that will be on the November ballot.
Kinder’s poll found overwhelming support for a school bond to improve HISD’s campus although they did not specifically ask about a $4.4 billion one. While 78 percent of respondents agreed that they would support a bond that increased taxes by a small amount ($1) or not at all, another 72 percent supported it up to a $10 annual tax increase, and 58 percent up to a $25 increase. Notably, 17 percent of the respondents went as far as saying they would support a bond even if it meant their taxes went up more than $200. Kinder polled the Greater Houston Community Panel, a longitudinal panel of 7,500 residents—so it wasn’t the general public.
Contrasting that, the union’s poll found only 39 percent of people in support of the proposed bond. Within the parties, they found 41 percent of Democrats opposed it and 64 percent of Republicans opposed it. They also found only 23 percent of respondents felt confident in Superintendent Mike Miles’ ability to manage HISD funds.
U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia recently held a community meeting about the bond at the Harris County Department of Education. Garcia invited HISD leadership to participate, but they did not respond to her request or allow her to use HISD facilities for the session. The meeting was billed as an information session with two bond proponents, elected Board Trustee Dani Hernandez and Greater Houston Partnership Education Policy Director Glen Austin. In opposition were Carmen Nuncio, a 47-year HISD volunteer, and Ruth Kravetz with the Community Voices for Public Education. Most attendees came to speak out against the bond and pointed to a lack of communication and coordination from the district and fear of poor oversight as reasons to not support it.
According to Garcia, also a former Houston City Controller, the bond will cost roughly $11 billion to pay back when interest is factored in, although the district has said the number is $8.8 billion.
So far, few elected officials have come out in support of the bond and the HISD administration is dealing with pushback from Democrats in the Harris County legislative delegation who are demanding the state step in and audit the district.
