Hays Consolidated Independent School District is pushing a bond proposal amounting to nearly $2 billion when all five propositions and interest are considered.
The ballot propositions marketed by school district leaders independently and without interest total close to $1 billion. In addition, the district fact sheet claims the bond will not raise the tax rate.
However, the reality for certain residents in Hays, Caldwell, and Travis counties is a much higher price tag —at $1.9 billion, around twice the amount shown on the upcoming ballot when accounting for all estimated debt.
And while the overall tax rate may not increase, the portion of the tax bill dedicated to repaying the new bond will.
Hays CISD’s bond proposals are the following:
Proposition A: $498,937,541 ($977,029,509 with interest) for the expansion of three existing high schools, four existing middle schools, and four existing elementary schools, as well as the construction of two new elementary schools. Money from Proposition A would also go toward school maintenance and funding career and technical education improvements, including the expansion of the district’s Firefighter Academy program.
Proposition B: $396,063,095 ($775,572,243 with interest) for a new high school in Buda that accommodates 2,800 students. The proposition will include funding for construction, fixtures, equipment, infrastructure, and fees.
Proposition C: $6,096,071 ($11,930,783 with interest) to fully fund a sub-varsity stadium for the new high school in Buda to “a capacity beyond 1,000 seats.”
Proposition D: $51,354,633 ($100,562,962 with interest) for constructing and equipping four outdoor multipurpose activity centers for Hays, Johnson, Lehman, and the new Buda High Schools.
Proposition E: $16,200,000 ($20,699,750 with interest) to fund technology upgrades at all campuses, including new phone systems, laptops, computers, and tablets.
Hays CISD currently has $872,065,000 in principal outstanding debt and $441,839,657 in interest outstanding debt, amounting to $1,313,904,657 in total outstanding debt.
“We’re growing at about 1,000 kids a year. We’re projected to grow that many, if not a little more, every year for the next decade,” said Hays CISD spokesman Tim Savoy.
While Savoy acknowledged in the local news interview that the bond proposal’s costly price tag was “kind of shocking to us too,” he said that district leaders would rather have a higher price and not need it than a lower price and have to scale back the projects.
“Bonds make it easy for the government to spend more than it should, growing government instead of keeping it in check,” Andrew McVeigh, president and CEO of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, told Texas Scorecard.
“Taxpayers deserve governments at every level that live within their means, not ones that borrow against their future,” he added.
The election for the propositions related to Hays CISD’s bond package will be held on May 3. Early voting runs from April 22 until April 29.
No ads. No paywalls. No government grants. No corporate masters.
Just real news for real Texans.
Support Texas Scorecard to keep it that way!
