GCISD voters approve $249 million in bonds
Voters in the Grapevine-Colleyville approved almost $249 million in bonds to add indoor practice facilities and classrooms and upgrade technology, safety and infrastructure items.
According to unofficial returns from Tarrant County Elections, 54 percent of 7,588 voters favored the proposal.
Superintendent Robin Ryan said that the bond would benefit every student in the district with improved security, technology and upgrades for 21st century learning.
He said bond issues are particularly important for Robin Hood districts like Grapevine-Colleyville because they have little room for long-term items in their daily operating budgets. Each year, the district sends $25 million to $30 million in taxes raised for operating funds back to the state.
“Our community understands that 100 percent of bond funds stay in GCISD,” Ryan said. “Our taxpayers have a higher return on their investment in the district through bond funding.”
About $79.4 million is allocated for new facilities: rebuilding most of Cannon Elementary School (built in 1959 and plagued with foundation problems), constructing indoor practice buildings at Colleyville Heritage and Grapevine high schools and adding classroom space at Grapevine Elementary, Timberline Elementary and Grapevine Middle School.
Indoor practice facilities are becoming increasingly common in Dallas-Fort Worth area high schools, with more than 60 in use or under construction.
The rest of the package is composed of $30.9 million in security and safety upgrades like controlled entry and surveillance cameras; $76.4 million for infrastructure improvements that include replacing aging HVAC units, upgrading technology networks, improving disability access and new playgrounds, buses and kitchen equipment; and $62.2 million for classroom enhancements like technology, collaborative spaces and new furniture.
It's almost double the size of the last bond proposal, a $124.5 million package approved by voters in 2011.
The bonds will raise the school tax rate by a maximum of 12.81 cents, although it could be significantly lower with recent growth in property values, provided interest rates remain low, Ryan said.
The rate of $1.32 per $100 of assessed value could go to almost $1.45 —still below some neighboring districts. Keller is at $1.54, Northwest and Birdville are just above $1.45, and Carroll (which is considering bond options for November or 2017) is at $1.359.
In 2014, Keller voters OK'd a $169.5 million bond package and Birdville voters OK'd a $163.2 million package.
The amount of the tax increase in Grapevine-Colleyville is significantly higher than either of those districts. Keller —already at the state cap of 50 cents for bond debt—had no increase in the tax rate but could issue the bonds based on growth. In Birdville, the bond raised the tax rate by about 3 cents.
The 2011 Grapevine-Colleyville bond raised the tax rate by about 3 cents.
This story was originally published May 10, 2016 at 3:11 PM with the headline "GCISD voters approve $249 million in bonds."