Arlington school district bond package passes

By TRACI SHURLEY

tshurley@star-telegram.com

Arlington school district voters on Tuesday supported by a nearly 2-to-1 ratio a $197.5 million bond package to provide building upgrades, technology, transportation and fine arts equipment for the district’s more than 63,000 students.

In complete but unofficial returns, the bond issue passed 64 percent to 36 percent. Voter turnout was about 10 percent.

"I wouldn’t want to even think about if it hadn’t passed," Superintendent Jerry McCullough said. "It’s been 10 years since we’ve had [a bond issue], and we were in dire need. And I think the community realized that and came out and supported it."

The bond issue will raise the district’s tax rate almost 5 cents from 2011 through 2017, adding $40 to the yearly tax bill of the owner of a $100,000 home with a $15,000 homestead exemption. Seniors with an over-65 exemption won’t see an increase.

A 32-member residents committee compiled the list of bond projects, including an estimated $115.9 million for districtwide facility maintenance and upgrades, two elementary school additions, additions at Arlington and Lamar high schools, and a new elementary school to handle growth in east-central Arlington.

The package also includes $60 million for technology, $13.3 million for 120 new propane buses and $8.3 million for fine arts.

The bonds will be issued over five years.

The district’s first building priority will be $13.5 million in science lab renovations at its six high schools.

The labs need to be completed by next fall so students in the Class of 2011 can use them, administrators have said. Texas’ new four-by-four curriculum requires students graduating in 2011 to have four years of science.

In trimming budgets over the past few years, Arlington has eliminated money for new computers, buses and fine arts equipment. Local officials blame a state funding system that keeps the district at a set income per student regardless of changes in tax values or operating costs.

This year, Arlington expects to take about $12 million from its reserves to cover its $438.6 million operating budget.

The district’s tax-impact figures depend on selling no-interest Qualified School Construction Bonds, a program that is part of the federal stimulus package. Arlington has until Dec. 31 to sell $12.8 million in bonds. It can sell an additional $12.8 million next year, said Cindy Powell, associate superintendent of finance.

After Arlington trustees called a bond election, many members of the resident advisory committee formed Citizens for Arlington, a political action committee. They raised more than $30,000 to promote the bond issue and volunteered their time to speak before civic groups.

The work of the advisory committee and the PAC was "integral" to the bond issue, school board President Mike O’Donnell said. He said the groups "worked diligently and tirelessly to bring this to fruition."

"They carried the day for us," he said.

John Hibbs, co-chairman of the PAC and a member of the advisory committee, had equally glowing words for the trustees and administrators.

"I’ve never met a finer group of people," he said.

Also likely to begin in the first year are a 34,000-square-foot addition at Lamar, facilities upgrades like new flooring and purchases of computers, fine arts equipment and buses.

The district will also look for land to build the elementary school, Powell said.

TRACI SHURLEY, 817-390-7641

Looking for comments?