((EDITOR’S NOTE: Read other coverage of the 2015 Athens ISD bond here.)
By Michael V. Hannigan
Monday night, the Athens ISD Board of Trustees unanimously called for a $59.9 million bond election to be held this Nov. 3.
“What we’re getting is value out of this proposal,” said Board President Rob Risko before the vote. “I think the proposal that we have is an absolutely excellent one.”
The bond would provide for the following (click here for more explanation on each item):
– The Assembly and Recreation Connection (ARC) at AHS, a new building which will house a cafeteria, about 2,500-seat gym and assembly center, and connect the high school with the AHS Annex.
– The old cafetorium at the high school will be converted into science classrooms.
– New public restrooms and a concession stand, as well as new field houses for football and soccer at Bruce Field.
– Activity Centers at both Bel Air Elementary and South Elementary, including built in seating and a stage for community involvement, as well as a gym for physical education.
– The unused courtyard at Central Elementary will be converted into classrooms and the library will be expanded.
– A building will be added to the High School Annex for Career and Technology Education (CTE) classes
“I can’t tell you how excited I am that were going to take this step,” said board member Steve McElhany. “This board is unified in getting it done. We have just completed a lot of construction out of our back pocket. This is another long-term goal to make this district the best it can be.”
Monday’s action was the next step in a process that began in the summer of 2014.
According to AISD Communications Specialist Toni Garrard Clay, that’s when the school board asked administrators to develop a three- to five-year strategic plan for improving the schools. Six areas of focus were established, with two teams of teachers, administrator sand community members committed to each focus area.
Facilities was one of the focus areas, and those teams “spent months talking to architects, touring buildings in other school districts, and discussing and viewing the individual needs of the AISD campuses.”
Clay said their recommendation to the board was to “call for a bond proposal for improvements to AISD campuses.”
COST OF THE BOND
What will the bond cost taxpayers?
That question is a little more complicated than it would normally be, through no fault of the school district.
The simple answer is, if approved, the bond would add about .24 cents to the AISD tax rate.
The exact amount won’t be known until the district actually sells the bonds, but AISD Chief Financial Officer Randy Jones said the most the tax rate would increase is .24093. He said the increase could be lower than that.
What is the actual impact in dollars? That’s where things get interesting, thanks to the State Legislature.
When voters go to the polls in November for the AISD bond, they will also see Proposition 1 on the ballot, a proposed amendment to increase the school property tax homestead exemption from $15,000 to $25,000. The measure is geared to lower property taxes and is expected to pass easily.
Proponents say that change will minimize the bond’s tax increase for AISD residents.
If both Proposition 1 and the bond are approved, and the tax rate remains the same except for the bond, it means Athens ISD residents owning a $100,000 home with a homestead exemption will see a $61 a year increase in 2016-17 over what they pay in 2014-15. (No figures are currently available for 2015-16.)
Property valued at $100,000 that does not have a homestead exemption will see about a $240 a year increase.
Individuals 65 and older who have a homestead exemption will not see any increase in school taxes.
Officials say there is no way to complete the work needed without the bond.
According to Clay, “Over the course of 10 years, through very careful management, economies of scale and utilizing grant funds when possible, Athens ISD was able to save $4.7 million. Those funds have been used for the projects now underway at Central Athens Elementary (previously Athens Intermediate) and Athens High School. Work on these campuses constitutes the largest self funded project AISD has ever undertaken. Given that it took a decade to raise $4.7 million, it would take around 120 years to save up $59 million.”