2023 LOCAL VOTER GUIDE
PROPOSITION B: $44 MILLION
number of new tennis courts could be subject to change, said Sara Bustilloz, communications director for the city of Round Rock. City proposals also include plans to start building a second recreation center in Old Settlers Park, which would be smaller than the existing Clay Madsen Recreation Center and house the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, which shares space with the city’s Planning and Development Services Department. “That’d be great to be able to do, to free up space for Planning Development Services and [Munic- ipal] Court,” Assistant City Manager Brooks Bennett said. In addition to improvements at Old Settlers Park, a $20 million expansion of the Round Rock Sports Center on Chisholm Trail Road, upgrades and additions to citywide trails, and sys- temwide infrastructure improvements are all included in Proposition A. Public safety upgrades The $44 million set aside for public safety improvements in Proposition B includes a driver training track for cadets and o cers to practice driving maneuvers and an expansion of the Public Safety Training Center class- room, which Round Rock police Chief Alan Banks said is necessary to facili- tate ongoing cadet and o cer training. Additionally, two new re stations would improve response times in the city’s northeast area. City sta have not yet issued detailed information on what the re stations would include, but said they are needed in that part of town due to rapid population growth in that area. One of the stations would be located at 1703 E. Old Settlers Blvd. Round Rock Mayor Craig Morgan
said these expansions and improve- ments are necessary to uphold the city’s standard for public safety. “I think people want to maintain safety in our city and continue to be one of the safest cities in America,” he said. “That’s going to require some of these things being added as well.” Impact to taxpayers If passed, taxpayers could expect a $0.069 increase to the city’s tax rate of $0.342, said Susan Morgan, Round Rock chief nancial o cer. The tax rate over that period would result in an initial increase of $36- $48 annual property tax increase for homeowners over the next ve to seven years based on median home value of $369,000, to repay the bond over 25 years. “If these projects are approved, there’s a lot more work to be done in terms of design and guring out exactly how everything is going to go together with the dollar amounts that we have,” Assistant City Manager Brooks Bennett said. Writ Baese, a former Round Rock City Council member who served from 2015-21 and spoke as a represen- tative of a political action committee advocating for the 2023 bond, com- pared the tax increase to that of the 2013 Round Rock bond. Through the committee Vote for Round Rock, Baese and a collective of community members said they hope to in uence voters to approve the bond. Baese said the impact of the $123.6 million 2013 bond was also minimal. Property values rose, and new residential property added to the tax rolls negated a tax rate increase. At the time, city o cials predicted around a $0.07 tax increase to fund the bond. In reality, the city’s tax rate
PUBLIC SAFETY UPGRADES
While the majority of improvements on the ballot focus on parks and amenities, $44 million in Prop B has been designated for police and re department improvements.
Central re station relocation and two new stations: $33 million
BROOKE SJOBERG COMMUNITY IMPACT
Public Safety Training Center classroom expansion and the addition of a high-speed driving track: $11 million
SUNRISE RD.
MAYS ST.
PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING CENTER AND PROPOSED DRIVING TRACK ADDITION
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FUTURE FIRE STATION
OLD SETTLERS BLVD.
SOURCE: CITY OF ROUND ROCK COMMUNITY IMPACT
N
TAX RATE IMPACT If voters approve both Propositions A and B, the city's tax rate could increase by $0.069 over the next ve to seven years. Current tax rate: $0.342 IF PASSED: Total tax rate increase of
has decreased by just under $0.08 since 2014 due to the increase in property values. Baese said he could see a similar scenario playing out during the repay- ment cycle of the 2023 bond. Should the bond fail to pass, Round Rock o cials have stated that alter- nate funding methods for some of the proposals would be sought. “Given the history of how the money is managed, how the invest- ments were made and our track record for economic development, we’re hopeful,” Baese said. “History indicates that we’ll see something more favorable if things continue on the same trend.”
$0.069 over the next ve to seven years $36-$48 annual property tax increase for homeowners over the next ve to seven years based on median home value of $369,000*
*TAX BILL EVENTUALLY INCREASES TO $21 PER MONTH BY END OF 25 YEAR DEBT REPAYMENT PERIOD.
For more information, visit communityimpact.com .
SOURCE: CITY OF ROUND ROCK COMMUNITY IMPACT
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ROUND ROCK EDITION • APRIL 2023
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