BY CATHERINE WHITE
What to expect
What’s changed
Historical and proposed tax rates
District officials note that school funding is largely tied to student enrollment, and with FISD experiencing relatively stagnant growth over the past five years, additional funding comes from the general fund, with over 80% allocated to employee salaries. “FISD has had one bond in the last 18 years,” Roher said. “As the critical infrastructure continues to age, the manner in which essential projects are funded becomes a significant challenge.” District officials emphasized that the bond reflects a balance between maintaining aging facilities and minimizing the financial impact on taxpayers, while voters ultimately will decide the outcome. Early voting runs from April 20-28, ahead of the May 2 election, according to the Texas Secretary of State’s Office. If the bond passes, the district plans to: • Establish a bond oversight committee to provide updates for construction • Send regular updates, photos and drone footage of major projects If the bond fails, the district may experience: • Potential delays or prioritization of repairs and upgrades • Potential funding for projects through the general fund
The current bond package removes several projects from FISD’s 2025 bond proposal, which voters rejected in November, including athletic facility upgrades, inclusive playgrounds and a replacement campus for both Westwood and Bales. “The items from the 2025 bond continue to be important items in the long-range facility plan, but the current climate and economy required rethinking the path toward continuing to provide facilities for the learners in FISD and learning from the input of the community members and listening to what was shared,” FISD Superinten- dent Thad Roher said. The 2025 proposal was projected to increase
Tax rate Failed 2025 bond Proposed 2026 bond
$1.5
$1.387
$1.19
$1.2
$1.06
$0.9
0
2016 2019 2022 2025 2026
SOURCE: FRIENDSWOOD ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
the rate by $0.16 per $100 valuation of a home, costing $576 annually for a $500,000 home.
What’s new
Survey results
In a survey the district put out related to the bond, respondents indicated greater support for a future bond if major projects were split into separate propositions and the overall tax impact was reduced. The district worked with Huckabee Architectural Firm to review bond options, using resident feed- back to ensure the proposal was clear to residents while addressing the district’s needs, Huckabee representative Timothy Barnes said. “Based on feedback received through the community survey, the [district] identified two primary parameters for the bond proposal: limiting the total bond amount to under $90 million and lessening the tax impact,” Barnes said.
FISD survey respondents indicated which projects they would like to see on a future bond proposal.
Safety and security updates
275
Priority 1 maintenance
239
Transportation: Buses
174 Agricultural Science Center 166 Westwood and Bales replacement 164 District technology 141
SOURCE: FRIENDSWOOD ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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