Lake Travis - Westlake Edition | September 2022

QUOTE OF NOTE

Eanes ISD breaks down future bond election process

Leander ISD adopts property tax, calls for tax rate election

THE BOND PROCESS Preparation to call a bond takes roughly a year from start to finish, according to Eanes ISD. Here are the steps if the district calls a bond election for May. District officials determine needs by meeting with campuses and program administrators. February-June 2022 The operations team estimates the cost to complete identified needs. June-August 2022 The Bond Advisory Committee works with administration to determine projects. September 2022-January 2023 The board of trustees calls a bond election. February 2023

“I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE OWNERSHIP OF HOW BIG OF A PROBLEM WE HAVE.” LAUREN WHITE, LAKE TRAVIS ISD BOARD MEMBER, ON ACCOUNTABILITY RATINGS DISTRICT HIGHLIGHT LAKE TRAVIS ISD On Aug. 17, the board called a bond election for Nov. 8 for three propositions totaling $703 million. Eanes ISD board of trustees Meets Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. at 601 Camp Craft Road, West Lake Hills www.eanesisd.net Lake Travis ISD board of trustees Meets Sept. 21 at 6 p.m. at 607 RM 620, Lakeway www.ltisdschools.org Leander ISD board of trustees Meets Sept. 22 at 6:15 p.m. 300 W. South Drive, Leander www.leanderisd.org MEETINGS WE COVER

BY ZACHARIA WASHINGTON

BY GRACE DICKENS

EANES ISD Board members continued preliminary discussions Aug. 23 for a future $110 mil- lion-$130 million bond. The district is considering either a May or November 2023 bond to fund necessary facility upgrades, safety and security, energy efficiency and support for student programs. EISD’s last bond election was held in 2019 for $80 million, which funded projects of similar scope as well as the Westlake High School Aquatics Center. The Bond Advisory Committee will review potential bond items and facilitate discussion with the community. The first meeting is Sept. 27 to discuss safety and secu- rity measures in the bond, followed by discussion with trustees at the Oct. 4 board meeting. An election

LEANDER ISD The board of trustees adopted a property tax rate of $1.2746 per $100 of property value for fiscal year 2022-23 on Aug. 18. The adopted rate is made up of a maintenance and operations, or M&O, rate of $0.9446 and an interest and sinking, or I&S, tax rate of $0.33. Because the board adopted a tax rate that exceeds the calculated voter-approval tax rate, the district will be calling a voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE, in November. This election would ask voters to approve increasing the M&O rate while lowering the I&S rate—essen- tially providing the district with more funds for operations. Election Day is Nov. 8. Early voting begins Oct. 24 and runs through Nov. 4. In addition to the VATRE, five board seats will be up for election.

Election day May 2023

SOURCE: EANES ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

must be called by Feb. 18 for the May election, according to the Texas Secretary of State.

17

LAKE TRAVIS - WESTLAKE EDITION • SEPTEMBER 2022

Powered by