Citing continued growth, Comal ISD’s board of trustees Tuesday called a $567 million bond election for Nov. 3.
The bond package includes two propositions addressing safety and security, aging facilities, enrollment growth, student transportation and classroom technology.
In a press release, the district said both propositions can be financed within Comal ISD’s existing tax rate of $1.0748 per $100 of taxable property value. The current total tax rate is the lowest it’s been in 30 years, and the debt-service portion of the rate has remained at $0.35 per $100 of taxable value for more than a decade.
To learn more, click here.
Community Oversight
The bond package was developed following a review by Comal Forward, a community planning committee made up of more than 60 parents, taxpayers, retirees, business owners and community members.
They reviewed school finance and demographic information, examined facility needs, toured campuses, evaluated project priorities and considered the district’s financial capacity before making a recommendation to trustees.
“Our community continues to grow and that growth affects schools throughout the district,” said Superintendent John Chapman, Ed.D.
“This proposal reflects the work of community members who carefully reviewed our needs and helped identify priorities related to safety, existing facilities, student capacity and technology. Our responsibility now is to make sure voters have clear, factual information about each proposition before the election.”
Proposition A: Facilities, Land and Buses – $539,955,000
- Safety and security improvements including surveillance cameras, secure entry vestibules, upgraded door hardware and card-reader access controls
- Replacement of aging buses, including some with more than 200,000 miles and no seat belts, with buses equipped with seat belts
- Replacement and modernization of aging heating-and-cooling, roofing, electrical and plumbing systems
- Energy efficiency improvements intended to reduce operating costs
- Two new elementary schools along the I-35 corridor near New Braunfels
- Land for future school sites
- Additional instructional space at Canyon High School
- A multipurpose addition at Davenport High School
- Career and technical education spaces and other campus improvements districtwide
District projections show elementary schools along the I-35 corridor could face a shortage of approximately 1,300 seats by 2032.
According to the statement, construction costs are increasing by at least five percent annually, potentially adding approximately $27 million per year in costs if construction is delayed.
Proposition B: Classroom Technology – $27,045,000
- Replace student laptops and classroom devices on a planned schedule
- Upgrades to the district’s network infrastructure
- Improvements to network speed, connectivity, reliability and security
Technology purchases would be financed with short-term bonds structured to reflect the expected useful life of the equipment.
Growth
Growth continues to drive the need for additional funding.
Currently, more than 30,300 students are enrolled in the district. That number is projected to exceed 40,000 across 589 square miles by 2035.
The district has added approximately 10,000 students during the past decade at a rate of 900 to 1,000 students per year.
About Bonds
The district said state law requires every Texas school bond proposition to include the statement “THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE’ because property taxes are used to repay bond debt.
While Comal SD projects bonds can be financed without increasing its current tax rate, an individual property owner’s tax bill may change based on property values established by the county appraisal district.
Both funds may be used only for capital expenses such as facilities, land, buses and technology, and are not subject to state “recapture.” One hundred percent of the money raised would remain in Comal ISD.