A new bond From the cover
In a nutshell
PROP. A
$3.2M FHS practice turf
$154.75M for construction of school facilities.
This bond election is the first the district has called for since 2020. The 2020 bond allocated $127.2 million toward building a new elementary school, expanding and renovating existing campuses and upgrading technology across the district, according to 2020 bond documents. The $165 million bond up for a vote this November was formed by FISD’s Citizens Advisory Committee, or CAC, through a series of meetings from February through April to discuss priorities. The committee was composed of community members, parents, students, teachers and district officials. According to CAC documents, this bond will include some of the following projects: • Westwood Elementary and Bales Intermediate replacement campus • Agricultural center replacement • Tax note refinancing • Safety and security improvements FISD’s Chief Financial Officer Amber Petree said about 83% of FISD’s budget goes toward staff salaries, leaving just 17% for expenses such as utilities and insurance. Petree compared the $165 million bond to the district’s entire maintenance and operations budget this year, which is $67 million. “It’s a very small fraction of the whole ask for a long-term commitment for like a 30-year debt to pay for facilities,” she said.
$18.19M FISD Agricultural Center
• Includes: Westwood and Bales replacement campus, upgrades in safety and security, athletic facilities and career and technical education
$33.53M FHS athletic facilities improvements (Phases 1 and 2) $36.74M General improvements: • Technology and transportation upgrades, including new buses • Windsong Elementary innovation lab addition • Outdoor inclusive playgrounds • Refunding and refinancing of maintenance tax notes $73.34M Westwood & Bales replacement: • New 1,200-student, pre-K through fifth grade, two- story campus • Will eliminate nearly $45M long-term deficiencies at Westwood and Bales
PROP. B
$2M for technology equipment. • Includes: district-wide upgrade of student data and finance management systems, technology equipment refresh
PROP. C
$4.25M for construction of recreational facilities.
• Includes: upgrades for softball, baseball and practice fields at FHS
PROP. D
$4M for refunding and refinancing of maintenance tax notes. This will be used to free up money in district’s operational budget.
SOURCE: FRIENDSWOOD ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Friendswood ISD's tax rates through the years
Maintenance & operations
Interest & sinking
What residents should know
$1.5
$1.2594 $1.2594 $1.2394 $1.2094
The $165 million bond package includes a total tax rate increase of $0.16 per $100 valuation of a home, based on projected 2025 taxable values, Petree said. An increase would occur due to the interest and sinking rate rising as a result of the district taking on more debt through the bond. School tax rates consist of a combined total rate of the maintenance and operation and I&S rates, according to the Texas Education Agency. I&S rates are used for debt payments that finance district facilities, such as bonds, according to the TEA While an increase is imposed, the tax rate could vary depending on property value growth and interest rates, Petree said. “If we have more growth next year, maybe we get a really low interest rate, which is what happened to us with the last bond. Then that
$1.19
$1.2
$1.08
$1.04
$1.03
$0.9
$0.6
$0.3
$0
2019-20 2020-21
2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26 2026-27* Fiscal year
SOURCE: FRIENDSWOOD ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
*PROJECTED IF BOND IS APPROVED
taxable value, officials said. If approved, the increase would not go into effect until the next fiscal year, which would be FY 2026-27, documents show. FISD approved a lower tax rate for FY 2025-26 compared to FY 2024-25.
$0.16 will vary,” she said. “It’s not solidified until the day of.” The exact increase will vary by home value, meaning some homeowners will see higher or lower monthly costs depending on their property’s
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