Northwest ISD bond, tax increase lost big. Should the district try again in May?
It was little noticed amid the drama over the presidency and Congress, but Election Day brought one of the rarest outcomes: voters rejecting school district bond initiatives.
Northwest ISD, the sprawling district that includes some of the Fort Worth area’s fastest-growing communities, sought to spend nearly $1 billion. Voters overwhelmingly said no to all four bond propositions for construction, renovation and technology upgrades, as well as a tax-rate increase the district says it needs for day-to-day operations.
The district is likely to put similar propositions on the ballot for local elections in May. After all, the growth isn’t going to stop any time soon, and Northwest lacks enough classrooms for all of its students.
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But there’s a whiff of anti-democratic sentiment to going back to the voters so soon, particularly with the understanding that far fewer voters will show up for the May election than the near-record turnout Texas saw this year.
It was a fluke borne of the coronavirus pandemic that Northwest’s propositions, like so many other local elections, were on the same ballot with Donald Trump and Joe Biden. But the voters spoke enthusiastically about what they want. To select a smaller, if more engaged, electorate is a nod to the cynical way local governments approach elections.
To their credit, Northwest ISD leaders understand they need to seek and listen to more input and perhaps adjust the propositions. Lesley Weaver, the district’s executive director of communications, said the first step will be to seek feedback in surveys and perhaps voter forums (maybe online, given the virus’ recent surge).
“We can either help correct misinformation or make adjustments to the plan,” Weaver said, noting that the district’s plan for athletic facilities in particular may have been misunderstood.
Some supporters, though, are taking a more arrogant approach, deriding “no” voters as not understanding the issues and blaming a state law requiring disclosure of tax increases on ballot measures. One told the Star-Telegram that if only fewer voters showed up, the measures would pass.
There’s little doubt that significant new spending is necessary to cope with Northwest’s growth. It has added 10,000 students in just a decade. That’s a boom that requires lots of construction: Some schools that have been open just a year have already had to add portable buildings.
Bonds enable districts to build quickly, and as Weaver noted, the district’s credit rating is strong and interest rates will be low. The tax rate increase for regular operations is probably necessary, too, as the district is already absorbing a $25 million budget shortfall with hiring freezes and program cuts. More will be on the way if voters don’t approve the new rate.
One issue may be the difficulty of creating a sense of community in a district that stretches across parts of three counties and more than a dozen municipalities.
Weaver said that the district will rely on teachers and principals trusted among their schools’ families to spread the word about the district’s needs. But it’ll take more to reach residents without students in the district or those new to the area who may not understand the dire need, she said.
“We definitely need a better way to reach all of the voters not already affiliated with the district,” she said. “We’re missing a good line of communication with them.”
What won’t do is blaming state law for the troubles. Requiring transparent statements about tax increases was a good step. Too many districts proclaim they’re “cutting taxes” when growth in property appraisals allows them to trim tax rates or keep them steady.
Splitting up bond propositions is worthy, too. It lets voters have more of a say over where their money goes, and it may help governments save pieces of a program when unpopular items — such as glitzy new football stadiums — are rejected.
If districts want more of taxpayers’ hard-earned money, they’ve got to earn it. Northwest ISD has a good case to make about what the community needs. It should make that case broadly, listen to feedback and adjust accordingly — not just count on low voter turnout on a spring Saturday.
This story was originally published November 12, 2020 at 5:03 AM.