(Marion) – Several projects are also up for voter consideration this Nov. 8 in the Marion ISD. The school district is seeking a $50 million bond election for security and other enhancements district wide.
What might make this bond election unique and maybe historic for the immediate area is that it will not initiate any increase in the I&S (interest and sinking) side of the district’s tax rate. That’s according to Marion ISD Superintendent Dr. Don Beck who has spent the last couple of months explaining how this all works to the voters.
“There are two things that are attributed to the ability to go out for a bond that won’t increase the tax rate. (The two things include) increased appraisal values and a defeasance. In order to reduce or pay off early the bonded indebtedness that Marion ISD currently has, the board approved a bond defeasance plan. Marion ISD will invest somewhere between $1.8 million and $2 million dollars toward defeasance to help increase the bonding capacity of the district and save money on the interest of the 2019 bond debt,” said Beck.
Of course, Marion ISD taxes are frozen for homeowners 65 or older who have properly filed with the county’s tax office.
When they head to the polls, Marion ISD voters are reminded that their ballot will still state the words “THIS IS| A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE” alongside the ballot item for the bond election. District officials say, “all school ballot propositions must include the following statement: ‘THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE,’ regardless of whether there is or is not an expected increase to the school district I&S Tax Rate.
The campus breakdown of proposed projects includes enhanced safety measures at Marion High School. This includes entry vestibule improvements, site fencing, door hardware and video surveillance. Other campus improvements include cafeteria renovation, new parking and renovations to support art, dance, photography, criminal justice, floral, life skills, core classrooms plus library renovations. Approval of the bond issue would also allow for a new welding lab, ag mechanic lab, construction tech and culinary arts lab.
Each of the other campuses are also requesting the same security needs as the high school.
Additional requests for the campuses include new playground surfacing improvements at the Karrer Elementary School and a new pavilion enclosure at Krueger Primary.
Early voting begins today and runs through Nov. 4. There are seven early voting locations available throughout Guadalupe County. Those locations include the Seguin Elections Office, the Schertz Elections Office; the Cibolo Fire Station #2, the Central Texas Technology Center; Redemptive Grace Fellowship and the New Berlin City Hall.