Seems like they tried to pass this in three bonds and that did not work so they have basically come back and put it into one bond and said all or nothing. Thoughts?

I've seen my Value increase 10% the last four years but not my taxes. Big difference. And my value is still under market just not as much as it used to be. Round Rock has really shot up market value.

Ok. It seems like I am not alone in my thinking. Similar to what has been brought up here.

So here is my question. Why aren't more people talking about this. The election is less than a month away. WhT happened to the opposition from the previous vote?

The opposition last time all came from the Westwood area. This year they get their share of candy.

Makes sense.

I don't live in WilCo, but have been part of many of the same debates in Eanes ISD. Biggest issue, that most don't get, is that ISD's are being increasingly forced to pay for more Maintainance & Ops items (i.e. HVAC) through debt issuance because these taxes aren't recaptured by Robinhood.

Dan Patrick brags about cutting education funding and spins it as fiscal responsibility. Meanwhile, Texas education rankings hover near the bottom of the country.

It is natural to only want to pay for what your own children will directly benefit from, but school finance, when it comes to bonds, is as local as politics get. If we don't invest in education, we'll spend a lot more on the consequences down the road.

Voting in bond elections is a good start, as normally these elections are decided by < 20% of the electorate. Even better, get involved in the budget discussions with your local school board.

The state has dramatically reduced public school funding. From somewhere of 60% to 40% in the last 15 years. They crow about not raising taxes every election.

But we still pay. Our property taxes are some of the highest in the nation. CO and CA? Try 1% or less.

Don't get me started on title insurance.

SteveBott said:

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The state has dramatically reduced public school funding. From somewhere of 60% to 40% in the last 15 years. They crow about not raising taxes every election.

But we still pay. Our property taxes are some of the highest in the nation. CO and CA? Try 1% or less.

Don't get me started on title insurance.

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Both CA and CO have state income tax. Total tax burden in TX is lower than either of those states.

Not really. I've done hundreds of loans in those states and it's a wash. Comes down to income level. The false brag about no income taxes is just that.

SteveBott said:

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Not really. I've done hundreds of loans in those states and it's a wash. Comes down to income level. The false brag about no income taxes is just that.

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I'm not sure what your point is. I've lived in CA, and the combination of higher real estate prices offsets the lower tax rates plus there was a state income tax and state sales tax. And, they also struggled with school finance due to their desire to solve every societal problem with state funding.

Folks want to fixate on little issues in school bonds when they don't understand that bonds are a way to keep tax money local. No one likes paying taxes, but unfortunately, this is he hand we're dealt by the policy makers in Austin.

I've lived in CA as well. Many family there now. Prop 13 is your friend. Aunt pays 1978 taxes on a Westwood purchasetat 70k and the home is worth north of 10 million. She is retired so personal income tax is negligible.

What do we pay? 2.25 to 3.5% on property. It's a wash.

SteveBott said:

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I've lived in CA as well. Many family there now. Prop 13 is your friend. Aunt pays 1978 taxes on a Westwood purchasetat 70k and the home is worth north of 10 million. She is retired so personal income tax is negligible.

What do we pay? 2.25 to 3.5% on property. It's a wash.

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Texas has the 33rd ranked tax burden, CA is 10th.

https://wallethub.com/edu/states-with-highest-lowest-tax-burden/20494/

And that has nothing to do with WilCo's bond. Texas' school funding, that you point out is dropping, is the issue. Local bonds are the way to fund your local schools without sharing the revenue.

If you want to argue that TX should have a state income tax. Good luck with that.

While I completely understand and sympathize with those that are burdened with higher tax rates, if I read the bond info correctly for RRISD, this bond won't increase the tax rate at all. If property tax increases are primarily coming from property value increases, isn't that the way it's supposed to work?

ATXAdvisor said:

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While I completely understand and sympathize with those that are burdened with higher tax rates, if I read the bond info correctly for RRISD, this bond won't increase the tax rate at all. If property tax increases are primarily coming from property value increases, isn't that the way it's supposed to work?

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I think what I read a few will and I think it's too convenient that the county can just put their finger in their mouth and up in the wind to determine a "value" that suits them.

chipotle said:

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ATXAdvisor said:

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While I completely understand and sympathize with those that are burdened with higher tax rates, if I read the bond info correctly for RRISD, this bond won't increase the tax rate at all. If property tax increases are primarily coming from property value increases, isn't that the way it's supposed to work?

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I think what I read a few will and I think it's too convenient that the county can just put their finger in their mouth and up in the wind to determine a "value" that suits them.

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What chipotle is talking about here is really the biggest issue to me. Its just pull it out of a hat.

Also, what I would like to see if more fiscally responsible decisions. Where spending $76 million on technology. Round Rock High School gives everyone a Dell laptop to take home every night. Every Child. Is that really necessary for education? Not for most of the kids at Round Rock High its not. People can afford to have a computer at home. Its not that expensive.

Plus there is no explanation on the "Capital Renewal" section. $127.0 Million*? Listing things like "replace HVAC and Electrical and plumbing systems." Where? What is actually broken? Replace Turf field at High Schools and Kelly Reeves. My kids play football. What Turf Fields need to be replaces?? They just tell you that this needed to happen and take advantage of the fact that no one knows if they really does.

Finally the main thing that frustrates me is make high school #6 "Shovel Ready Design". Were not even getting a high school out of this which is what is really needed. (There were were 1,000 freshman that entered Round Rock this year. There will be 1,000 next year and so on. eventually it will be 4,000+ kids) They will be back in a few years asking for another bond to actually build the high School. WE NEED SCHOOLS NOW!! Put that in the bond. I will vote for that. $508,000,000 and we will get ONE elementary school out of it. It is glut I tell you. Loss of focus on what really needs to happen.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VuuQtm8fwgQYmoPmSj1m4xj6WuIU_Dhw/view

Back to the Bond:

Some of it is good, and some of it is bad. I have a close friend who was involved with the Bond package, and have followed this very closely, because it was possibly going to affect where my kids went to school.

There were three bond proposals floated to the community.

One of the bond packages was 521 million, which included a much needed High School #6. Predictably, compared to the other two....That is the bond that garnered the most support. Then the board approves a very similar 508.5 million dollar bond, but they removed the high school, and shuffled those funds towards other district needs.

This infuriates me. Continually the board (and Flores) pulls a bait and switch. It's a hallmark of his tenure. They did the exact same thing with the re-zoning a couple years ago, and the last bond package that was approved.

In general, people dont typically pay close attention to these bond packages. But they do in RR, because the way these are routinely handled.

AgGrad99 said:

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This infuriates me. Continually the board (and Flores) pulls a bait and switch. It's a hallmark of his tenure. They did the exact same thing with the re-zoning a couple years ago, and the last bond package that was approved.

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Just to let you know. I know Flores. He did not want this bond. This one is not on him this one is on the School Board.

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Finally the main thing that frustrates me is make high school #6 "Shovel Ready Design". Were not even getting a high school out of this which is what is really needed. (There were were 1,000 freshman that entered Round Rock this year. There will be 1,000 next year and so on. eventually it will be 4,000+ kids) They will be back in a few years asking for another bond to actually build the high School. WE NEED SCHOOLS NOW!! Put that in the bond. I will vote for that. $508,000,000 and we will get ONE elementary school out of it. It is glut I tell you. Loss of focus on what really needs to happen.

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You beat me to it. This is the #1 complaint I've heard from people...by far.

Secondly, a substantial portion is to replace portable buildings across the district. This is wasteful in most cases. My son is in a very very old portable building. It's fine. But the big complaint is that they have to go inside to use the restroom, because the plumbing gets backed up too easy. Ok. So? My kid can walk 75 feet to go inside. This isnt' worth replacing them imo. All it really needs is a fresh coat of paint inside.

I wonder if the HS was removed, to appease areas that might have put up opposition for it.

I was one of those Westwood parents who *****ed and moaned at the last bond proposal.

I will be supporting this bond for two reasons only.

1. Maintenance money for Westwood. My daughter is in Color Guard and athletics. The girls locker room hasn't had hot water for showers since school started. The volleyball and cross country coaches have continued to put in work orders to get the water issue fixed, but there is "no money."
2. Finishing off the master plan for Westwood. My daughter, and every other math student, has math outside in portal buildings. I'm sorry, those kids are sitting ducks for anyone who wants to do something malicious at Westwood.

The ISD loves to brag about the academics at Westwood, yet its the most run down school in the district. With 57 national merit scholar semi finalists, its time to take care of this school.

AgGrad99 said:

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Just to let you know. I know Flores. He did not want this bond. This one is not on him this one is on the School Board.

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Interesting.

Unprompted, I was given the impression by my friends on the committed, that he was the one pushing for this particular one. Makes me think no one wants to claim it (yet)

Did he say which he'd have preferred? Curious what he wants different...

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He did not. I maybe should not have even posed this here. Not really common knowledge. I think it is likely though that he knows we need schools.

In that case, edited my post, to remove the quote.

AgGrad99 said:

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I wonder if the HS was removed, to appease areas that might have put up opposition for it.

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Not sure why there would be opposition. All the High School are headed towards the busting at the seems levels.

And you all should know, the proposed site for HS #6 (Pearson Ranch area) is being met with a ton of resistance from the east side.

Yeah....people in Terra Vista want it out there

Charpie said:

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I was one of those Westwood parents who *****ed and moaned at the last bond proposal.

I will be supporting this bond for two reasons only.

1. Maintenance money for Westwood. My daughter is in Color Guard and athletics. The girls locker room hasn't had hot water for showers since school started. The volleyball and cross country coaches have continued to put in work orders to get the water issue fixed, but there is "no money."
2. Finishing off the master plan for Westwood. My daughter, and every other math student, has math outside in portal buildings. I'm sorry, those kids are sitting ducks for anyone who wants to do something malicious at Westwood.

The ISD loves to brag about the academics at Westwood, yet its the most run down school in the district. With 57 national merit scholar semi finalists, its time to take care of this school.

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I am not pointing the finger but i suspect that the support of the Westwood voting public on this one will cause it to pass. Its not that i do not want that for your daughter is just that this is how people politically ramrod things through. I do not like that at any level. Of course we need improvements there if that is the case. But do we need to replace HVAC systems across the district? I am skeptical.

We do not even want to talk about safety. None of our older schools are safe especially if they have portables. Its really worrisome. Old Schools that are really accessible like Round Rock that must have 100 doors to outside. Especially between passing periods. It honestly scares the heck out of me at Round Rock. Huge School and they barely have enough staff to keep the kids under control that are already mostly behaving.

AgGrad99 said:

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Yeah....people in Terra Vista want it out there

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Honestly it probably makes more sense. Tough spot for the district. We really need both. That is what is frustrating about this much money in a bond and very little brick and mortar.

Don't disagree with you at all.

I will say that my hood isn't nearly as vested in this bond as the last. Who knows how they will vote.

As far as Round Rock High, it's insane how many kids go to school there compared to the other high schools. And while I get there is potential growth out north east, central needs it first. Heck it's so bad that part of Pearson Ranch will be diverted to Westwood next year.

I dont know about that. From the numbers they showed earlier this year, the west side is way more crowded.

But yeah, I hear you about the lack of facility expansion overall.

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Heck it's so bad that part of Pearson Ranch will be diverted to Westwood next year.

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Will they? I didnt know this.

Which part? I'm assuming those that are coming from the west side of Parmer?