With a mere three-vote margin, San Angelo residents seem to be quite literally split in their support for a multimillion-dollar bond package proposed by SAISD. While preliminary results from Saturday’s election show the bond passing, officials say it’s too close to call and that the final results will not be announced until the May 14 school board meeting, after all provisional ballots are counted.
According to unofficial voting results, 50.02 percent of voters were in favor of the bond, while 49.98 percent were against. The actual vote count came out to 3,044 and 3,041, respectively.
The $148.9 million bond package consists of a full sweep of facility upgrades and additions. Approximately 75 percent of the funds would be used for safety and security enhancements, ADA upgrades, and facility expansions. Remaining funds would be used for student programs such as new baseball and softball facilities, a multi-purpose gymnasium, a new middle school track, and alternative learning center.
San Angelo’s last school bond was passed in 2008 for $117 million and, similarly, focused on facility repairs, renovations, and additions. The $117 million is still being paid down by taxpayers today, which was often cited by opponents of the current bond proposal, stating that “Kids need education, not debt.”
Should the SAISD 2018 bond move forward, the average $154,000 home in Tom Green County will see a property tax increase of $15.32 a month, or $183.84 a year.
For more details about the bond proposal, please visit saisdbond.org.
