EDUCATION Lamar CISD board of trustees approves $1.72B bond package
Bond on the Ballot Lamar CISD is proposing a $1.72 billion bond package in the Nov. 8 election to handle the district's unprecedented growth. SOURCES: LAMAR CISD, GREG BUCHANAN COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
Total $1.72B
BY ASIA ARMOUR
a complex that includes a middle school, junior high and high school package. It also includes adding 500 seats in cafeterias and gyms at the existing Foster, George Ranch and Randle high schools as well as 1,000 seats at Fulshear High School. It also includes expanding the incoming Tomas High School—part of the 2020 bond—by 500 seats. Portable buildings for the 2023-24 school year and districtwide safety and security upgrades are also items in this section of the bond. The proposition also includes additions to the district’s administra- tive building, school buses, technology infrastructure, and all projects that are now overbudget from the 2020 bond. By allocating $189.24 million to build a career and technical education center with Proposition B, the district is looking to provide options for stu- dents who may seek careers directly after high school. Buchanan said this initiative is sig- ni cant to businesses in the commu- nity. It is also one of Superintendent Roosevelt Nivens’ priorities to create a workforce readiness pipeline. “We want to make sure when students leave Lamar CISD they are sought after—not just competitive,” Nivens said. “We want to make sure that when they leave us they have choices and opportunity.” Proposition C would dedicate $16.77 million to classroom and district technology hardware, such as new computers and graphic printers. Prop- osition D is priced at $4.98 million and would add LED lighting and new turf to Traylor Stadium. Finally, Proposition E would allocate $194.9 million to purchase land and to build a second stadium, which would feature 10,000 seats, locker rooms, band storage, and career and technol- ogy education classrooms. Financial impact The 2022 bond authorization, if passed, would be issued in three annual bond sales beginning in February 2023, said Terrell Palmer, one of the district’s nancial advisers. Bond interest is estimated at 4.5%. LCISD’s property tax rate consists of
On Aug. 22, the Lamar CISD board of trustees approved a $1.72 billion bond package. The initia- tive passed with a 4-1 vote with Trustee Jon Welch dissenting. The main purpose of this bond is to stay ahead of LCISD’s rapid growth, which continues to outpace the dis- trict’s e orts, Chief Operating O cer Greg Buchanan said. “It’s a really complex problem,” he said. “[Even] with rezoning and build- ing new buildings, we just can’t get anything on the ground fast enough to be able to relieve the pressure we’re about to encounter, especially on the north side of the district.” In July, o cials said the bond had a capacity of $1 billion but were eyeing a $956.29 million bond. Welch pointed this out during the board’s discussion to determine which items should be included in the 2022 bond. But in the last 30-45 days, district o cials learned in ation has made construction costs una ordable for any 2020 bond projects that have not been awarded, Buchanan said. This bond will focus on completing the remaining 2020 bond projects, building new campuses, expanding and renovating existing space, updat- ing technology, and upgrading safety and security e orts, should voters opt to approve it in November. Buchanan said 14 campuses would face overcrowding for ve years or more over the next 10 if this bond does not pass. “And this is a moderate growth model,” Buchanan said. “So if it hits higher than that, [which has been] the trend the last two years, we would have to come back and address them within the next two to three years.” To combat in ation, the LCISD Bond Citizens’ Committee calculated what it would cost to complete the projects today then added a 7% increase for every year until the work is done, Buchanan said. Bond details Proposition A would allocate $1.31 billion to the construction and land purchase of four elementary schools; one middle school; and
Prop. A
$1.31B
Career and technical education center
Prop. B $189.24M
• Four elementary schools, one middle school • A middle school, junior high and high school complex • Added seats in cafeterias and gyms at high schools • Portable buildings
• Districtwide safety and security upgrades • Administrative building additions • School buses, technology infrastructure • 2020 bond project over ow
Classroom and district technology hardware
Prop. C $16.77M
Upgrades to Traylor Stadium
Prop. D $4.98M
Land and construction for second stadium
Prop. E $194.9M
Population and Survey Analysts data from February showed Lamar CISD more than doubled its new-student enrollment in 2021-22 compared to 2020-21. Student population projections show the district could grow by 76% in the next decade. SERVING MORE STUDENTS
Student population
Projected student population
Bond passed
80K
Projected +76.3%
65K
50K
+56.6%
35K
20K
0
2011-12
2015-16
2019-20
2023-24
2031-32
2031-32
SOURCES: POPULATION AND SURVEY ANALYSTS, TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
two components: a maintenance and operations tax rate and the interest and sinking tax rate, according to the Texas Education Agency. The M&O tax rate provides funds for maintenance and operations, while the I&S tax rate provides funds for payments on the debt that nances a district’s facilities. Palmer, the president of Post Oak Municipal Advisors, said the $1.72 billion bond package would increase the interest and sinking tax rate from $0.37 in 2021-22 to $0.47 in scal year 2022-23.
Since 2012-13, the I&S tax rate has remained between $0.33 and $0.37. The M&O tax rate has decreased each year since 2018-19. “Your phenomenal growth of 3,200 students [year over year] is really putting the urgency to get this paper authorization and convert it to cash immediately,” Palmer said. “That is the cause of that I&S tax rate increasing very quickly.” The bond will be on the Nov. 8 ballot as ve items with voters approving or denying each proposition separately.
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SUGAR LAND MISSOURI CITY EDITION • SEPTEMBER 2022
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