Plano South | October 2022

2022 VOTER GUIDE

D E

New event center (location to be decided) for graduations, convocation, district competitions and could be rented to outside groups

Improvements to stadiums, including turf replacement and parking lot resurfacing at Clark and safety and security lights for all stadiums

COURTESY PLANO ISD

VALERIE WIGGLESWORTHCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Ballot language The need for voter education was evident with the results of a survey PISD conducted between June 29 and July 5 about the election. The survey of 400 respondents has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9% The survey found that based on wording on the ballot, 52% of respon- dents favored Proposition A. Among those against the proposal, 83% said that property taxes were too high. But after learning more about the dis- trict’s plans, the support for Proposition A increased to 68%, the survey showed. Survey results showed a similar pat- tern for the four bond propositions. Respondents were initially less sup- portive of the propositions based on the language on the ballot. The most signicant change came with Proposition E, which calls for ren- ovations to Clark, Kimbrough and Wil- liams stadiums. Improvements include adding safety and security lights, add- ing fencing and renovating restrooms. A big chunk of funds would go toward resurfacing the Clark stadium parking lot, which board members have likened to driving on “craters on the moon” because of its poor condition. After an initial reading of the ballot measure, only 29% of survey respon- dents were in favor. But after learning details, 57% favored that bond pro- posal, according to the survey. Backing the bonds Marshall Jackson and Rick Cinclair were part of a 70-member task force to help determine which bond projects to put on the ballot. Their bond task force met for months to whittle down the dis- trict’s needs to the nearly $1.5 billion in

proposed projects. “We are a district of excellence,” Cin- clair said. “We just have facilities that need some love.” The task force determined, for exam- ple, that Plano Senior High needs more than $205 million in major renovations to bring it up to today’s standards. Task force members also found it would be more cost eective to build a replace- ment campus for Haggard Middle School rather than renovate the exist- ing campus. Jackson, who chaired the group, said the proposed event center requires more explanation than what is on the ballot. PISD spends more than $275,000 a year to rent facilities for big events, including graduations and teacher convocations. An event center would not only give the district a place to hold events and district competitions, but it would gen- erate revenue when the district leases it to outside groups, Jackson said. “We can cut our expenses and create a revenue stream by having the event center,” he said. “It’s a win-win for Plano.” Jackson and Cinclair are now part of a political action committee called Friends of Plano ISD to advocate for the passage of all ve measures on the November ballot. The pair said there has been some hesitancy over the years to ask voters to put money toward PISD facilities. But further delays will only increase costs later, they said. “We cannot kick the can down the road anymore,” Cinclair said.

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PLANO SOUTH EDITION • OCTOBER 2022