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Schools: Now’s the time for bond election
Published October 14, 2009
CLUTE — With area residents inundated daily with news about how the economy is struggling, the housing market is struggling and families are struggling, Brazosport ISD officials know they are in a struggle as well.
But they insist this is a great time to ask school district residents to increase their tax bills by approving a $166 million bond, and believe once they put the facts out there, voters will agree with them.
The district makes three main selling points when residents ask the most common question: Why now when times are so tough?
• Because of the economic slowdown, taxpayers will get more for their money than in the recent past.
• Some buildings date to the district’s beginnings and are beyond fixing.
• The availability of a federal stimulus program will save more than $9 million over the life of the bond, and twice that if they win a second round of funding, but that program won’t be around if the district waits.
That mix of a pressing need for construction combined with the big-picture money savings by doing a bond now, means “the timing is actually pretty good” for a debt issue, said Dan Schaefer, Brazosport ISD’s financial director.
In addition, if the bond passes, residents will not see an increase in their property tax until 2011, Schaefer said.
“At that point, I hope the economy is on the road to recovery,” he said.
WHAT THEY'RE ASKING
The bond package on the Nov. 3 ballot really is three proposals in one — a school construction portion, maintenance portion and new natatorium portion, Superintendent Joe Ripple said.
Brazosport ISD trustees considered making each its own ballot measure, but instead decided to present voters with just one initiative because all are necessary, he said.
“I think no one doubts that it’s needed,” Ripple said.
Two elementary schools — A.P. Beutel and T.W. Ogg, which are riddled with cracks and other signs of decay — would be replaced. Jane Long Elementary would get a major addition. Nine other elementary schools would get a gymnasium, something few currently have.
Other schools would have classroom additions, Brazosport High School would get major renovations, and new fine arts wings would be built at Lanier Middle School and Brazoswood High School. Brazoswood also would get a new library, and a districtwide natatorium would be built on its campus to replace the school’s current pool and host competitive swimming and diving events for both schools.
When done, Ripple said, the district will have buildings it is able to maintain and all portable buildings would be eliminated.
STIMULUS MONEY
As a part of the federal stimulus package signed into law last spring, school districts can apply for zero or low-interest bonds that can save millions of dollars in interest, Schaefer said.
Applications for the program are considered on a first-come, first-serve basis, and Brazosport ISD has been approved to receive more than $11 million in low-interest bonds, Schaefer said. That translates to a savings of more than $9 million in interest, he said.
The district is eligible to apply for another round, and Brazosport ISD officials believe they are likely to receive it because they are prepared to apply the day the next application period begins, and Brazosport ISD is in a hurricane-affected area, which is given high priority, Schaefer said.
To give school districts the low interest rate, the government gives buyers of the bonds tax credits, he said.
Unfortunately, the low-interest bonds must be used quickly, Schaefer said.
LOW CONSTRUCTION COSTS
“The time to buy isn’t when the economy skyrockets,” Schaefer said.
When the economy is suffering, prices decrease, he said. The district is looking at a 20 percent to 30 percent decrease in construction costs right now, Schaefer said.
Even though the district might not start building for a while, it can go out for bids quickly and lock in current construction prices, Ripple said.
The district estimated the lower construction costs will save up to $20 million, he said.
In addition, it will cost the district less money long-term to put up new buildings for Ogg and Beutel elementaries than to try to fix all the problems the current schools have, Deputy Superintendent Dennis McNaughten said.
GROWTH NEEDED
“We can’t forget the importance of economic development,” said Kimberly Starr, chairwoman of For BISD Kids, a political action committee dedicated to promoting passage of the bond.
As businesses decide where they want to locate, school districts play an important role, Starr said.
“If schools decline, businesses won’t be able to draw people to the area,” Schaefer said.
In addition, the district does not have a maintenance budget this year. Instead, it hopes to fund its maintenance budget from here on out with a bond that will allow them to use all of its tax money without sending money back to the state.
As a property-wealthy district, 33 cents of every tax dollar paid by a Brazosport ISD taxpayer toward the district’s maintenance and operations budget is sent to the state under the recapture formula.
However, recapture does not apply to voter-approved bonds, meaning the district would be able to put every cent designated for maintenance directly toward that purpose.
Though this method also will save the district money, if the bond isn’t passed, important infrastructure needs will not be met, McNaughten said.
“There are some critical infrastructure needs,” McNaughten said.
See Sunday’s Facts for more on BISD’s infrastructure needs.
Early voting begins Monday and Election Day is Nov. 3. Then it will be time for the district to find out whether its belief it was the right time for a bond proposal was well-founded.
“If we don’t provide an opportunity for voters to make decisions, we’re not doing our jobs,” Schaefer said.
Katlynn Lanham covers Brazosport ISD for The Facts. Contact her at 979-237-0150.
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