Each year, there are two customary opportunities for local governments to ask you to pay for more debt. And for those 5-8% of voters who chose to vote in May’s local elections, you may have already seen propositions this year. In fact, over 85% of May’s $7 billion in new local debt passed. And even though only a small minority of voters turnout in many cases, every family and business who pays property taxes will be on the hook for what’s borrowed.
But most taxpayers are unaware that November’s ballot will also host additional debt propositions, in addition to a state constitutional amendment related to transportation funding to be drawn from the state’s emergency savings account.
Every Texan should be asking their local city council, school board and county commissioners if they are supporting a new debt proposition for the November ballot?!
If you don’t know who represents you, don’t be discouraged. Your local county elections website should have that information.
The 2013 November ballot hosted Proposition 6, which drew $2 billion from the same fund to create a funding mechanism for water projects. In addition to that figure, over $5 billion in local debt was also authorized by those who voted.
Texas remains on track to incur debt at an unsustainable rate, which is currently outpacing population growth, after adjusting for currency inflation. As of 2012, Texas had the second highest, per capita local debt in the nation.
For those with county and/or local officials considering supporting new debt, you may want to ask them all the following questions via written email request:
1) What is the new debt going to finance, and please be specific?
2) Why is debt, as opposed to operating revenue from the budget (or reserve funds), being used instead?
3) How much existing debt does the government owe on behalf of taxpayers, on both a total and per resident/student amount? How does that compare to neighboring areas or to statewide averages (they can obtain this from the State Comptroller’s office)?
4) In additional to the principal that will be borrowed, what will the interest cost be for taxpayers?
5) How much will issuing the new debt affect tax rates?
6) Are both the principal and interest expense, along with the tax increase, going to be placed on the ballot for voters to see when voting?
7) Will there be an explanation on the ballot for what the debt will purchase, specifically in detail?
Below is a nearly comprehensive list of cities, schools districts and counties that are considering placing a debt proposition on your November ballot. As always, taxpayers are encouraged to contact our Metroplex office to provide us with updates on specifics.
Are any of your local governments on the list?
Contact Info
Ross Kecseg
*Districts are organized by entity type, with individual districts in each category listed in alphabetical order
Community & Junior College Districts
Austin Community College
County: Travis/Williamson
Bond Proposition Amount: $499,000,000
Independent School Districts (ISDs)
Beaumont ISD
County: Jefferson
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
Birdville ISD
County: Tarrant
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
Bridge City ISD
County: Orange
Bond Proposition Amount: $20,000,000
Bryan ISD
County: Brazos/Robertson
Bond Proposition Amount: $140,000,000
Coldspring-Oakhurst CISD
County: San Jacinto
Bond Proposition Amount: $17,000,000
Comal ISD
County: Bexar/Comal/Guadalupe
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
Corpus Christi ISD
County: Nueces/San Patricio
Bond Proposition Amount: $250,000,000
Corsicana ISD
County: Free Stone/Navarro
Bond Proposition Amount: $49,673,624
El Campo ISD
County: Wharton
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
Elgin ISD
County: Bastrop/Lee/Travis
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
Fort Bend ISD
County: Fort Bend
Bond Proposition Amount: $333,400,000
Garland ISD
County: Dallas
Bond Proposition Amount: $473,000,000
Harlandale ISD
County: Bexar
Bond Proposition Amount: $17,313,000
Highland Park ISD
County: Dallas
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
Italy ISD
County: Ellis
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
Katy ISD
County: Fort Bend/Harris/Waller
Bond Proposition Amount: $1,010,000,000
Kaufman ISD
County: Kaufman
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
Keller ISD
County: Tarrant
Bond Proposition Amount: $140,000,000
Lamar CISD
County: Fort Bend
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
Marshall ISD
County: Harrison
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
Mason ISD
County: Kimble/Mason/McCulloch/Menard/San Saba Bond
Proposition Amount: TBD
Mexia ISD
County: Freestone/Limestone
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
Midland ISD
County: Midland
Bond Proposition Amount: $158,000,000
Milano ISD
County: Milam
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
Richland Springs ISD
County: San Saba
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
Sanger ISD
County: Denton
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
Temple ISD
County: Bell
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
Webb CISD
County: Webb
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
Wylie ISD
County: Collin
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
Ysleta ISD
County: El Paso
Bond Proposition Amount: $155,000,000
Cities
City of Arlington
County: Tarrant
Bond Proposition Amount: $192,500,000
City of Austin
County: Hays/Travis/Williamson
Bond Proposition Amount: $300,000
City of Baytown
County: Chambers/Harris
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
City of Buda
County: Hays
Bond Proposition Amount: $40,000,000
City of Canyon
County: Randall
Bond Proposition Amount: $5,200,000
City of Cedar Hill
County: Dallas/Ellis
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
City of Colleyville
County: Tarrant
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
City of Commerce
County: Hunt
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
City of Corpus Christi
County: Nueces
Bond Proposition Amount: $55,000,000
City of DeSoto
County: Dallas
Bond Proposition Amount: $26,000,000
City of Denton
County: Denton
Bond Proposition Amount: $100,000,000
City of Lubbock
County: Lubbock
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
City of Mansfield
County: Ellis/Johnson/Tarrant
Bond Proposition Amount: $65,000,000
City of Murphy
County: Collin
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
City of Pflugerville
County: Travis/Williamson
Bond Proposition Amount: $30,000,000
City of Rosenberg
County: Fort Bend
Bond Proposition Amount: $12,500,000
City of San Diego
County: Duval/Jim Wells
Bond Proposition Amount: $15,000,000
Village of Salado
County: Bell
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
City of San Marcos
County: Caldwell/Guadalupe/Hays
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
City of Selma
County: Bexar/Comal/Guadalupe
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
City of Spring Valley Village
County: Harris
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
City of Uvalde
County: Uvalde
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
City of Waco
County: McLennan
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
Counties
Comal County
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
Ector County
Bond Proposition Amount: TBD
Grimes County
Bond Proposition Amount: $6,600,000
Hays, Hidalgo, Kleberg, Milam, Travis Counties
Bond Proposition Amounts: All of the above are TBD
