Staying up to date From the cover
Unraveling PISD’s bond The bond is broken into two propositions: technology and infrastructure.
The overview
Technology proposition: $30M*
After PISD’s voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE, was approved last November, PISD was able to put an additional $11.2 million in revenue into its budget, allowing the district to pay for various student and staffing needs, PISD Superintendent Larry Berger said. The VATRE, however, was aimed at filling gaps within the district’s maintenance and operations budget, or M&O, and wasn’t intended, nor is it enough, to meet the infrastructural and technological needs within the district, Berger said. The bond, as a result, is “part two” of handling those needs, he said. However, Sue Matthews, a former PISD parent and current resident, said she believes the district isn’t in the right financial position to go for another bond, and doesn’t want it to take on more debt. “I feel we are already indebted enough and don’t need to add to it,” Matthews said. “[Families] have to set a budget … and stay within your means, and I think [PISD] needs to do the same.” The Texas Bond Review Board shows PISD ranks No. 92 in the state in outstanding debt with about $358.8 million—about one-third of the debt of nearby districts like Alvin ISD and Clear Creek ISD. The last bond for PISD was in 2016 for $220 million, officials said. It was meant to help with district growth, aging facilities, and technological and security insufficiencies. Texas Education Agency data shows PISD had 21,093 students enrolled in the 2015-16 school year—and officials expected that to increase. Enrollment, however, plateaued. Despite this, Berger said it doesn’t take away the need for a bond. “We have to take care of the buildings and infrastructure that we have,” Berger said. “We have the capacity to pay for those bonds without increasing the tax.”
Classroom, teacher and endpoints: $25.01M
Networking & internet: $5.5M
Servers & storage: $1.72M
*TECHNOLOGY TOTAL IS $32M WORTH OF TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES OVER FIVE YEARS. OFFICIALS SAID IF COSTS GO ABOVE $30M BOND TOTAL, THEY MIGHT HAVE TO REASSESS NEEDS.
Infrastructure proposition: $75M
Contingency: $12.4M
Electrical: $10.9M
Life safety: $3.99M
HVAC: $22.52M
Roofing: $17.04M
Parking and traffic: $3.8M
Interior scope: $3.39M Plumbing: $350K
Local infrastructure allocation**
Elementary Schools: 1 H.C. Carleston: .........$1,676,500 2 Challenger: ..............$756,695 3 Barbara Cockrell: ......$346,500 4 C.J. Harris: ...............$399,695 5 E.A. Lawhon: ............$97,500 6 Magnolia: .................$346,500 7 Massey Ranch: ..........$359,000 8 Rustic Oak: ...............$524,695
Junior Highs: 16 Berry Miller: ...........$2,712,017 17 Pearland East: .........$8,204,022 18 Pearland South: ......$557,357 19 Pearland West: ........$5,166,158 High Schools: 20 Pearland: ...............$1,933,958 21 Robert Turner: ........$1,525,550 22 Glenda Dawson: .....$1,541,302
9 Shadycrest: ..............$1,838,886 10 Silvercrest: .............$463,000 11 Silverlake: ...............$769,785 Middle Schools: 12 Alexander ................ $444,590 13 Leon Sablatura: .......$962,436 14 Rogers: ...................$2,544,400 15 Sam Jamison: ..........$2,197,550
5
35
3
22
2
13
Pearland
4
17
288
15
19
1
12
14
10 11
9
6
16
20
MAGNOLIA PKWY.
8
7
18 21
MAP NOT TO SCALE N
**TOTALS DO NOT INCLUDE LINE ITEMS THAT ARE COMBINED ACROSS MULTIPLE CAMPUSES.
SOURCE: PEARLAND ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
What they’re saying
“You’re taking out another $105 million. ... That’s going to add up. We’re going to have to pay for it eventually. I feel like
“We have done facility assessments and technology nancial planning. We are making sure that we are strategic and comprehensive in bringing these proposals to our voters.” LARRY BERGER, PISD SUPERINTENDENT
“It [sounds] like there is a lot of thought and planning going into the future to build up capital reserves. We’re starting from day one now.” TONI CARTER, PISD BOARD TRUSTEE
they should not add because we’re already so far in debt.” SUE MATTHEWS, FORMER PISD PARENT AND CURRENT PEARLAND RESIDENT
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