There are 1,008 school districts that have data published on the comptroller's website. BISD shares the distinction with 325 other school districts in the state of having the highest maintenance and operating tax rate in the state ($1.17 per $100 of assessed value). The debt service rate ranks at 341 ($0.27 per $100 of assessed value), and overall tax rate ranks at 187 ($1.44 per $100 of assessed value).

From what I have seen, the plan right now is already projected to cost more than the bonding capacity of the district, so let's assume that in order to float this $150 million plan, BISD goes to the maximum allowable debt service rate under the law 50 cents per $100 of assessed value. Should that occur BISD will have the honor of holding the highest property tax rate in the state of Texas at $1.67 per assessed value.

In real dollar terms, if you live in a $200,000 home, you will pay an additional $460 in school district taxes each year to pay for the new school(s).

I think I'm going to snoop around on bellcad so I can give people real numbers to how this effects them. $460 is a lot.

I did the math a little wrong. You have to account for the $25,000 homestead exemption, so your house would have to be $225,000 for it to be a $460 impact.

I've done the math for mine with the exemption.

I've also done the math for Walmart, HEB, turtle creek apartments, legacy landing apartments, small business owners and their homes. This is a lot of money. So are Westin hotels, Marriot on the river walk, embassy suites and a LaQuinta in Lubbock must be the Taj Mahal of west Texas.

http://www.bisd.net/cms/lib02/TX01001322/Centricity/Domain/1862/Check%20Reg%20Per%201-Per%205%20FY16.pdf

Typically new schools will start out in 4A and move up. At least that was the case with the Bryan and College Stations schools. Although at that time it was called 3A.

So they think our taxes will only go up 18.71 cents per $100, so from 1.44 to about 1.63. I'm currently arguing with them on Facebook about this.

http://www.bisd.net/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=1&ModuleInstanceID=6052&ViewID=047E6BE3-6D87-4130-8424-D8E4E9ED6C2A&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=17525&PageID=1

He can find a sit and spin for all I care. I'm going to fight this with signs, phone calls and door to door info cards. I know 3 of those guys on that board are republicans but have no shame in doubling our school debt for their own gain? I don't think so.

I like it

Go get em, mazzag

When you knick heads with them, pretend they're me from the premium board

Eh I'm not on premium anymore and pretty much stay away from the MBB board. But I think our politics align.

Mascot? Harking back to the old days when Temple considered Belton lowlife.......Cedar Choppers!

Rabid Cougar said:

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Mascot? Harking back to the old days when Temple considered Belton lowlife.......Cedar Choppers!

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haha

No, I'm tellin' ya, the mascot will be the Tigers, and the colors will be red and white

It's how they roll there

build it on the lake and call them the Lake Belton tiger sharks with crimson and cream colors.

Tiggers as in Winnie the Pooh. Colors will be Red and Pale silver.

mazzag said:

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So they think our taxes will only go up 18.71 cents per $100, so from 1.44 to about 1.63. I'm currently arguing with them on Facebook about this.

http://www.bisd.net/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=1&ModuleInstanceID=6052&ViewID=047E6BE3-6D87-4130-8424-D8E4E9ED6C2A&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=17525&PageID=1

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18.71 cents is still a notable increase. $187.10 for every $100,000 in taxable value.

The district owes $219million with interest thru 2039. It's not just the rate increase, it's the debt increase. Add in deVos & Patrick taking away funds from schools for a voucher system and we'll have empty buildings when these are completed. I get the area is growing but smart home buyers will compare tax rates among area schools and could say f that, maybe I'll live in a comparable ISD and pay less. The overcrowded argument is based on projections. And high school enrollment includes new tech & waskow.

http://m.tdtnews.com/news/article_20a7c436-c0f8-11e6-a9ef-83b4116cfc51.html?mode=jqm

And now we know how the board really feels.

Quote:

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Trustee Jason Carothers said that if the election were held in May, fiscal responsibility activists might be less likely to turn out to the polls, leading to fewer "no" votes.

"With a bond that large it would be very hard to pass that in November," Carothers said. "You have so many from the Tea Party who turn out in November."

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Good lord. John Podesta works for my school district.

We need another high school so I don't mind my taxes going up.

Does $125million for a high school sound normal to you? Because that's how much they say they need to build and furnish it. We already own the land.

OutdoorAg said:

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We need another high school so I don't mind my taxes going up.

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You realize that's an obscene amount for a new HS right?

As of 2013 it would be the MOST EXPENSIVE HS IN TEXAS

http://m.asumag.com/top-10s/most-expensive-texas-public-school-construction

So I created a Facebook page to hopefully defeat this. Just got it going today. With all the candidates signs and vote yes signs in front of builders' offices, I figured it's time. Like if you're interested. Share on here or pm criticism, critiques, advice or more info/ammo.

https://m.facebook.com/Citizens-for-Responsible-School-Spending-377029425988623/?ref=bookmarks

I think Round Rock's 5th HS cost 80-90 million, and that was back in the late 2000's. I'm torn on whether or not to support it. I believe we need a new high school, but the debt load does seem large. And I know we most likely won't see any work from it.

I'm sure we need another high school but $125million? RR has phenomenal schools. Belton is good but not phenomenal. And when RR built they had dell$$. We don't have that. In fact nothing close.

We are looking at $1.65 per $100 valuation for 50 years? Seriously? And we haven't even gotten into state funding cuts. Or illegals pulling their kids out, that's $10k per student lost.

And all these builders banking on 6000 homes being sold? When folks look at property taxes they may go to temple, academy, Salado etc...
Who pays the overhead? 6000 $200k tax base payers? I don't think so.

mazzag said:

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And all these builders banking on 6000 homes being sold? When folks look at property taxes they may go to temple, academy, Salado etc...
Who pays the overhead? 6000 $200k tax base payers? I don't think so.

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That is a big concern. There is going to be an increase in operational costs of approximately $6,000,000 per year to with the new schools. Where is that money coming from? BISD is already at the maximum maintenance and operations tax rate. It would take taxable value growth of $513 million dollars to generate that funding. The likelihood of that is slim. Instead, there will be cuts in existing school services. I feel for the kids of Miller Heights. They probably won't be getting new window units for their mobile home campus anytime soon.

I also worry about the underlying theme of creating two districts within the district. Upon passage, the planned dividing line is the Lake/Leon river. So Temple and the unincorporated area in North Belton ISD will become a self contained "West Temple ISD" apart from Belton and the unincorporated area in South Belton ISD. 45% of Belton ISD students are classified as economically disadvantaged, and while I have not seen a specific geographic breakdown, I would think that is disproportionately weighted towards students in South Belton ISD. I think it is worth an ask to folks as to which ISD their child will attend:

West Temple ISD:
Lakewood elementary
Tarver elementary
Pritle elementary
High Point elementary
"New" elementary

North Belton middle school
Lake Belton middle school

"New" high school

Or

Belton ISD:
Leon Heights elementary
Miller Heights elementary
Southwest elementary
Sparta elementary
Chisholm Trail elementary

Belton middle school (now 9th grade center)
South Belton middle school

Belton high school
New tech high school (still will count in BHS numbers for UIL, and participate in extra-curriculars at BHS)

Where did you get the info for operational costs? That's one thing I've wanted to know about.

texaggie2009 said:

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I also worry about the underlying theme of creating two districts within the district. Upon passage, the planned dividing line is the Lake/Leon river. So Temple and the unincorporated area in North Belton ISD will become a self contained "West Temple ISD" apart from Belton and the unincorporated area in South Belton ISD. 45% of Belton ISD students are classified as economically disadvantaged, and while I have not seen a specific geographic breakdown, I would think that is disproportionately weighted towards students in South Belton ISD. I think it is worth an ask to folks as to which ISD their child will attend:

West Temple ISD:
Lakewood elementary
Tarver elementary
Pritle elementary
High Point elementary
"New" elementary

North Belton middle school
Lake Belton middle school

"New" high school

Or

Belton ISD:
Leon Heights elementary
Miller Heights elementary
Southwest elementary
Sparta elementary
Chisholm Trail elementary

Belton middle school (now 9th grade center)
South Belton middle school

Belton high school
New tech high school (still will count in BHS numbers for UIL, and participate in extra-curriculars at BHS)

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Where are you getting this "2 ISD" info?

It's all gonna be Belton ISD