Southwest Austin - Dripping Springs Edition | March 2025

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Southwest Austin Dripping Springs Edition VOLUME 17, ISSUE 12 MARCH 29APRIL 29, 2025

2025 Voter Guide

$402M bond marks new push to build Dripping Springs’ second high school

costs, for High School No. 2. This year, district ocials said they are hoping for a dierent outcome, citing overcapacity and the subsequent student outcomes as the need for the bond. “Our high school is currently over capacity, and that limits student opportunities,” Superintendent Holly Morris-Kuentz said. “There are only so many seats in certain classes and electives, and so many spots in ne arts and athletic programs. So, adding a second high school gives students more opportunities in and out of our classrooms.”

BY ELISABETH JIMENEZ

Dripping Springs ISD ocials are marking their

second attempt to address chronic overcapacity through construction of a new high school. The future of High School No. 2, improvements to all other cam- puses and technology upgrades depend on how voters respond to the bond this May election. In November 2022, DSISD voters rejected a $481.13 million bond that would fund the construction of the new high school. Voters later approved a smaller bond in May 2023 that only included the design, and not the construction

CONTINUED ON 22

Dripping Springs High School

High School No. 2

BELL SPRINGS RD.

SAWYER RANCH RD.

Dripping Springs High School has a capacity of 2,500 students. Projections show more than 3,000 high school students are expected by the 202728 school year. (Elisabeth Jimenez/Community Impact)

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Also in this issue

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Development: Find out about $10B in construction projects within downtown Austin (Page 26)

Community: Discover why painted stars are lining Mercer Street in Dripping Springs (Page 38)

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

WaterWise WATER SAVING REBATES

WaterWise Landscape Rebate 6 Austin Water customers who replace a minimum of 200 sq feet of healthy turf grass with native plant beds may be eligible for $100 per 100 square feet, up to $3,000 in rebates. Landscape Survival Tools Rebates 6 By using a combination of mulch, compost and core aeration of your lawn, you will be prepared for the damage that an Austin summer can do to your yard. These techniques will ensure that water stays on your yard, reducing the need for supplemental irrigation. y Compost: 2 cubic yards or 54 cubic feet Rebate $50 y Mulch: 2 cubic yards or 54 cubic feet Rebate $40 y Core aeration service for entire front and/or back lawn area (equipment rental is acceptable) Rebate $30 y Maximize your rebate by doing all three $120

WaterWise Rainscape Rebate 6 The Rainscape Rebate Program helps residents install landscape features (berms, terraces, swales, rain gardens, porous pavement, etc.) to keep and beneficially use rainwater on the property. The rebate pays $0.50 for every square foot (100 sq. ft. minimum) converted, up to $1,500 per property. Rainwater Harvesting Rebate 6 Rebates of $0.50 per gallon capacity for non-pressurized systems or $1.00 per gallon capacity for pressurized systems up to a maximum rebate of $5,000 are available for rainwater harvesting systems. Irrigation Upgrade Rebate 6 Customers may receive up to $1,000 in rebates for making improvements to their existing irrigation systems to increase water efficiency. New irrigation systems and expansions to existing systems are not eligible.

Conservation Rebates, Tools, Tips, and more

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SOUTHWEST AUSTIN - DRIPPING SPRINGS EDITION

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

About Community Impact

Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched Community Impact in 2005, and the company is still locally owned today with editions across Texas. Our mission is to provide trusted news and local information that everyone gets. Our vision is to build communities of informed citizens and thriving businesses through the collaboration of a passionate team. Our purpose is to be a light for our readers, customers, partners and each other by living out our core values of Faith, Passion, Quality, Innovation and Integrity.

Market leaders & metro team

Reporters Brittany Anderson Amanda Cutshall Dacia Garcia Sarah Hernandez Elisabeth Jimenez Anna Maness Haley McLeod Jamie Moore Hannah Norton Brooke Sjoberg Ben Thompson Amira Van Leeuwen Gracie Warhurst Chloe Young Graphic Designers Alissa Foss Abigail Hines Sabrina Musachia Minh Nguyen Joseph Veloz Managing Editor Darcy Sprague Product Manager Gloria Gonzalez Quality Desk Editor Adrian Gandara Karoline Pfeil Sam Schaer

Travis Baker Austin Market President tbaker@ communityimpact.com

Elle Bent Editor ebent@ communityimpact.com

16225 Impact Way Pugerville, TX 78660 • 5129896808 CI Careers

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Impacts

BARTON CREEK BLVD.

360

183 3 Aer Pilates The boutique fitness studio from Jenn Vigh, located in the St. Elmo neighborhood, offers classes that combine reformer Pilates and aerial silks. • Opened Feb. 8 • 4511 S. Congress Ave., Austin • www.aerpilates.com 4 Shipley Do-Nuts The doughnut chain opened a new location off of Southwest Parkway and Terravista Drive, nestled near other businesses including Serasana. The location includes a drive-thru and offers kolaches, coffee and doughnuts. • Opened in February • 7717 Southwest Parkway, Austin • www.shipleydonuts.com 2 Carnivero The online plant store opened its first physical nursery in Southwest Austin. Founded by Drew Martinez, Carnivero sells carnivorous plants and other tropical species with a focus on education and conservation. • Opened Feb. 8 • 13029 Fitzhugh Road, Austin • www.carnivero.com 5 Harbor Health Express Care Clinic The multi-specialty group provides care for infants, children, adolescents and adults. Express Care clinics offer walk-in appointments and after-hours care. The health provider was founded by Eric Scott, Tony Miller and Dr. Clay Johnston, a former dean of the Dell Medical School. • Opened in January • 701 FM 1626, Ste. 100, Austin • www.harborhealth.com 6 Wright Orthotics and Prosthetics From local Ben Wright, the new orthotics and prosthetics clinic offers prosthetic care for amputees and orthotic care for kids and adults. The clinic also recently opened a location in Bastrop. • Opened Dec. 1 • 5200 Davis Lane, B210, Austin • www.wrightop.com

MOPAC

290

S. LAMAR BLVD.

LONG BRANCH DR.

MOPAC

290

FITZHUGH RD.

WEST GATE BLVD.

13 16

NUCKOLS CROSSING RD.

South Austin

1626

MAP NOT TO SCALE

on site, Aleppo Foods, serves Middle Eastern cuisine including shawarma wraps, falafel plates, grilled kebabs and more. • Opened Feb. 22

Now open

1 Global Foodland The new grocery store in South Austin sells halal products, including meats and produce. The food truck

• 11501 Menchaca Road, Austin • Facebook: Global Foodland

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF

7 The Wheel South A second location of East Austin's bicycle-themed bar The Wheel is now open. The space was previously occupied by Crow Bar, which caught on fire and had to be demolished in 2023. Hospitality group FBR Management rebuilt the structure. • Opened Feb. 26 • 3116 S. Congress Ave., Austin • www.thewheelsouth.com

11 Austin Bouldering Project Renovations at the Westgate location of the climbing gym began in early March and will impact the gym’s training area and main fitness area. ABP staff said the areas will be closed for at least a couple of weeks in March. The gym’s Springdale location will continue to operate as normal.

Coming soon

• 4477 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin • www.boulderingproject.com

12 Live the Language Spanish program Live the Language is celebrating its twentieth anniversary. To celebrate, the program is offering six scholarships for the Spanish beginner course. • 2840 Gettysburg Drive, Austin • www.livethelanguage.org 13 Nasha The fusion restaurant is celebrating 10 years in Austin this year. Nasha uses flavors and techniques from the Mumbai to Malvani coast of India to blend with staple Tex-Mex dishes. The first Nasha opened on East Seventh Street. • 8900 S. Congress Ave., Bldg. 2, Ste., 150, Austin • www.nashaindia.com

Relocations

8 Texas Drop Tine Outdoors The North Austin sporting goods and metalworks store moved from its original location at 6910 Shirley Ave., Austin, to 8921 Nuckols Crossing in South Austin. Owner Danny Hernandez said the new property offers more space and a food truck park. Texas Drop Tine Outdoors sells handcrafted metal and wood hunting products such as feeders, blinds and traps, as well as artwork and barbecue pits. • Relocated March 1 • 8921 Nuckols Crossing, Austin • www.texasdroptineoutdoors.com 9 Carpets by Conrad The local flooring store moved from 6801 Menchaca Road, Austin, to 2110 W. Slaughter Lane, Ste. 106, Austin, within the Tanglewood Village Shopping Center. Carpets by Conrad offers installation services for carpets, tile, hardwood and more. • Relocated in late February • 2110 W. Slaughter Lane, Ste. 106, Austin • www.carpetsbyconrad.com

15 Training Mate The new gym will open below the Bishop Momo apartment building on South Congress Avenue. Training Mate is an Australia-founded, California- based franchise offering 45-minute high-intensity interval training classes that combine cardio and resistance exercises. Owned by Jess and Zieke Mirabito, this will be the first Training Mate location in Austin. • Opening this summer • 4341 S. Congress Ave., Ste. 125, Austin • www.trainingmate.com 16 Locker Room Haircuts The barbershop offered haircuts, beard trims and eyebrow waxing services. Locker Room Haircuts Round Rock remains open for business. • Closed in mid-February • 8900 S. Congress Ave., Austin • www.lockerroomatx.com 17 JOANN Fabric and Crafts The Southpark Meadows location will close following a Feb. 23 announcement that the company would be sold due to bankruptcy. According to the announcement, all stores will conduct going-out-of-business sales. • Closing TBD • 9500 S. I-35 Frontage Road, Bldg. K, Austin • www.joann.com

Closings

14 Big Medium The organization behind the Austin Studio Tour and Texas Biennial announced its closure in February. Big Medium said recent financial strain led to the board’s decision to close, including the City of Austin redirecting its funding outside of the organization. Big Medium is ceasing all programming and closing its South Congress Avenue location, according to a news release. The board said they are exploring avenues to continue the Austin Studio Tour and the Texas Biennial is continuing through June. • Closing this year • 4201 S. Congress Ave., Ste. 323, Austin • www.bigmedium.org

In the news

10 Via 313 The pizzeria’s Oak Hill location has been undergoing renovations. In February, work on a new look in the dining room and modifications to the bar were completed. The restaurant will shutdown in April for a kitchen remodel. • 6705 US 290, Ste. 503, Austin • www.via313.com

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FITZHUGH RD.

Impacts

Dripping Springs

BY ELISABETH JIMENEZ

light fixes, full engine replacements and more. All makes and models are accepted. Round-trip courtesy shuttle service for pick up and drop off are also available for customers within a 15-mile radius of the business. • Opening March 17 • 100 N. Canyonwood Drive, Dripping Springs • www.cbac.com 4 Roxie’s Opening on Mercer Street, the new restaurant by The Salt Lick BBQ will feature family recipes and southern dishes on the menu, such as fried chicken, mashed potatoes and cream corn. • Opening 2026 • 299 Mercer St., Dripping Springs

CANYONWOOD DR.

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BELL SPRINGS RD.

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Dripping Springs

BELTERRA VILLAGE WY.

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features a rotation of craft beers from across Texas, as well as countries such as Japan and Brazil. Domestic beers are also offered. Co-owner Jay Moreno said the space is also curated to be family and dog-friendly, including kids drinks and snacks, an outdoor area and a playground. • Opened December 2024

150

Now open

1 Texas MedClinic The walk-in clinic is now offering medical services in the Belterra shopping center. Services include treatments for minor emergencies such as cuts, broken bones, allergies, stomach aches, fevers and more. The urgent care center also offers rapid COVID-19 testing, silica exposure exams and drug tests at the Dripping Springs location. • Opened late 2024 • 164 Belterra Village Way, Ste. X200, Austin • www.texasmedclinic.com 2 Mercer St. Taproom Family owned and operated, the business offers 18 beers on tap at the taproom on Hwy. 290. Mercer St. Taproom

In the news

• 12005 US Hwy. 290, Austin • www.mercersttaproom.com

5 Gourmet Gals Catering and Events The catering and event service business is under new leadership from Audrey Fisher. Fisher acquired the business in February and is working to grow the business in South Austin and Dripping Springs, she said in an email. Gourmet Gals is a full-service catering and event planning company that provides services for events such as weddings, corporate functions and social gatherings. • 14121 W. Hwy. 290, Austin • www.gourmetgalscateringaustin.com

Coming soon

3 Christian Brothers Automotive Locally owned and operated by Mark and Sweta David, the national full-service auto repair shop will open a new location this spring in Dripping Springs. The shop will offer services such as oil changes, check-engine

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Government

BY ELLE BENT, HALEY MCLEOD & BEN THOMPSON

Eligible Austinites to get ood insurance aid A new pilot program launching this year will give lower-income Austinites impacted by ooding access to new nancial assis- tance for ood insurance. What’s happening City Council members have sought to address rising insurance costs and local risks in the area known as “Flash Flood Alley.” After Austin’s ood mitigation eorts earned its residents an extra 5% discount on insurance policies last year under a federal program, city ocials funded the new local initiative now rolling out. The project Council voted March 6 to advance the $130,000 program through a contract with the Del Valle Community Coalition. The project kicked o in March and the DVCC is expected to begin reaching out to residents about available support soon. Details about qualifying are to be determined.

Drying out Travis County and other Central Texas counties remain in extreme drought conditions.

Abnormally dry

Moderate drought

Severe drought

Extreme drought

Exceptional drought

100%

March

80%

60%

40%

20%

SOURCE: TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Central Texas watering restrictions ramp up The Lower Colorado River Authority, or LCRA, enacted Stage 2 outdoor water restrictions March 3 in response to continuing drought conditions. The details All customers, including municipalities like Austin, will be limited to outdoor watering once a week. The LCRA aims to cut water demand by 20%. The maximum once-per-week watering restric- tion aects residents, businesses, industries and lakeside property owners that draw water from the Highland Lakes.

The LCRA determined the eorts were nec- essary after reported declines in water levels of Lakes Buchanan and Travis—the primary reser- voirs in the Highland Lakes system. “These actions are needed to help preserve and extend our water supplies in the face of a drought that shows little signs of easing over spring and summer,” John Hofmann, LCRA executive vice

president of water, said. What you need to know

“By providing this pilot program around ood insurance, we really will be making

Ocials encourage utilizing low-water landscap- ing that can thrive on no more than once-a-week watering, and to: • Use drought-tolerant plants • Cover swimming pools when not in use • Add mulch to landscapes and compost to turf

a big dierence in our community.” VANESSA FUENTES, DISTRICT 2 COUNCIL MEMBER

Dripping Springs City Council election canceled; all candidates unopposed The city of Dripping Springs has canceled the May election as all three candidates are unop- posed. City Council has not had a contested race since May 2021. The details application to be placed on the ballot passed, and all candidates were unopposed. This means they will win their seats for the upcoming two-year term. Looking back

terms. Their seats will be up for re-election again in May 2026. Manassian, Tahuahua and Parks’ seats will be up for re-election again in May 2027. Going forward Dripping Springs ISD will hold an election in May. This includes a $402.3 million bond package— divided into two propositions on the ballot—and two seats up for election on the board of trustees.

On Feb. 4, the city ordered an election for three council members whose terms were expiring: Taline Manassian, Georey Tahuahua and Sherrie Parks. On Feb. 14, the deadline to le an

May elections for City Council seats were also canceled in 2023 and 2024. Last year, Mayor Bill Foulds and council members Wade King and Travis Crow were sworn in for additional two-year

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Government

BY ELISABETH JIMENEZ

The emergency medical service that operates in north Hays County is gearing up to start its own services outside of San Marcos Hays County EMS. North Hays EMS, which includes Dripping Springs, Driftwood, Henley and surrounding areas, has been part of SMHCEMS since 2004. The overview Services by the North Hays EMS Emergency Service District No. 1 will ocially start April 7. North Hays EMS Chief Bob Luddy said he doesn’t anticipate the transition will have an impact on services to residents in the area. “None of the trucks are going to be taken out of service,” Luddy said. “Everybody is going to just continue running calls up here. Some of them will just be wearing a dierent uniform than what they were before.” However, some San Marcos Hays County EMS employees have resigned early to go to North Hays EMS, SMHCEMS Chief Jill Rosales said. Because North Hays services will go live April 7, there will be a week where current SMHCEMS personnel will have to ll in the missing shifts. Both Luddy and Rosales said they are working on a plan to ensure there are no gaps in services, though the details of the plan are currently being ironed out. Dripping Springs area residents get service from new North Hays EMS

North Hays County ESD No. 1

“While we still disagree with the decision to pursue this risky venture, for the health and safety of the citizens they serve, we wish them the best of luck in all their future endeavors,” ZACK PHILLIPS, HAYS COUNTY EMS ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT

290

BELTERRA DR.

Rosales said about 30 SMHCEMS employees total are set to leave the company and start work with North Hays, as of press time. Still, she said emergency services in the remaining SMHCEMS areas should continue as normal. “We’re going to go forward just like we would still be going forward if they were here,” she said. Members of the Hays County EMS Association, the labor union that represents the SMHCEMS eld sta, said they are still concerned with the impact to emergency services in the area. How we got here Luddy said the decision to split from SMHCEMS came from factors including leadership and stang issues. Management from former SMHCEMS Chief David Smith, “led us to have concerns about the leadership and stability of the organization,” Luddy said. Over 90% of SMHCEMS sta, including eld and administrative sta, signed a vote of no-condence against Smith in late 2024, citing alleged issues such as lack of communication and handling of disciplinary proceedings. He later resigned.

Smith now serves as the district administrator for Emergency Service District No. 9, which operates in Kyle and unincorporated San Marcos. ESD No. 9 holds a seat on the SMHCEMS board, currently held by board president Diane Hervol. Luddy said SMHCEMS had failed to adequately sta two of their ambulances in Fiscal Year 2023- 2024 and current FY 2024-25. From Oct. 1, 2023 to Sept. 30, 2024, there were 222 hours when the ambulances were not staed, he said. From the current scal year starting on Oct. 1, 2024, there have been 216 unstaed hours. Rosales said that because North Hays operates on 12-hour shifts, SMHCEMS would not be able to keep an employee from a previous shift to cover that unit if someone were to call out of work. “When we cannot hold somebody to work that, then the unit is not staed,” she said. “We cannot force employees to come to work when they are not scheduled to work.” What’s next North Hays EMS sta will continue to monitor response metrics to track the new service.

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State

BY HANNAH NORTON

Gov. Greg Abbott outlines top priorities for 2025 legislative session

AI facilities that are coming here. I’ve talked to several, and ... they’ll be tapping into renewables whenever that’s available. They understand they need to provide power facilities to make sure that they’re going to be able to stay on without taking power from the grid [during periods of high demand]. What policies are you considering to help public schools hire and retain certified teachers? There’s three strategies here. One is to make certification easier but also more effective. Two is to attract more teachers to the profession. When this session ends, teacher pay is going to be at an all-time high. … That will hopefully attract and retain more teachers. But if you listen to teacher concerns, they go beyond just things like pay. Some involve school safety or dealing with discipline challenges. We have to empower edu- cators and empower administrators to have better control of discipline-based issues. It’s a safety issue [and] a classroom attention issue. What can Texas do to help communities prepare for and respond to future wildfires? We’re working with the Texas Division of Emer- gency Management as well as specialists at Texas A&M [University] to make sure that we’re clearing debris and removing things that would add to a potential expansion of a fire. One thing that we need, especially for vast areas like the Panhandle, are air tanker planes to help us more quickly extinguish large-scale fires. Third is to help invest more in our local fire departments. In [rural communities], they have so many volunteer fire departments, and they need more resources to be able to fight fires.

This legislative session, Texas needs to reign in property tax increases, attract home insurance providers and continue adding power to the state grid, Gov. Greg Abbott told Community Impact in an interview at the state capitol Feb. 7. What action should lawmakers take on property taxes this session? Home values are going to [continue to] go up, but a law that we passed in 2019 ... says that any property tax revenue for any jurisdiction is capped at 2.5%. If your property value goes up 10%, your property taxes cannot go up 10%. The real fix for this is to stop making it so easy for local taxing jurisdictions to increase property taxes. That’s why [I’m proposing] two-thirds approval by voters before property taxes can be increased. What can the Legislature do to address home insurance affordability? We want to make sure Texas is a state that attracts insurers, because the more providers there are, it will reduce the cost [of coverage]. There are other reforms we are taking a look at to make sure that we will … be able to contain any potential increase in the cost of insurance. Issues range from what’s going on in the [Texas] Panhan- dle versus what’s going on in coastal regions. Officials say Texas must nearly double its power capacity to 150,000 megawatts by 2030. What changes are needed to meet growing demand? Last session, Texas provided incentives to entice the addition of 10,000 more megawatts of power. That’s in the process of being added to the grid. We want to repeat that again this session. One reason for the power demand is because of

MARIE LEONARD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

How much would this cost? [We don’t know yet], but what lawmakers agree on is the need to get it done. In some areas, it may be more personnel; in other areas, it may be certain tools ... [or] another fire truck. So, it’s more like inventory checking, where it’s not going to be one size fits all.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. For a longer version, visit communityimpact.com .

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Election

BY ELISABETH JIMENEZ

Voter Guide

2025

To view the full list of all contested state and national candidates, visit www.communityimpact.com/voter-guide. Only candidates in contested elections are included.Visit county election websites for information on uncontested races.

Dripping Springs ISD, Proposition A The issuance of $399,700,000 of bonds for the construction, acquisition and equipment of school buildings in the district, including a new high school, for the purchase of necessary sites for the school buildings, for the purchase of new school buses and for the retrofitting of school buses with emergency, safety, or security equipment, and the levying of a tax sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds and the costs of any credit agreements executed in connection with the bonds. This is a property tax increase. Dripping Springs ISD, Proposition B The issuance of $2,600,000 of bonds for the acquisition or update of district technology equipment, including teacher, staff and student devices, and the levying of a tax sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds and the costs of any credit agreements executed in connection with the bonds. This is a property tax increase.

County information. This is not an official sample ballot. Candidates are shown in alphabetical order unless ballot order has already been set.

Dates to know

April 3: Last day to register to vote April 22: First day of early voting April 22: Last day to apply for ballot by mail (received, not postmarked) April 29: Last day of early voting May 3: Election day

Sample ballot

Local elections Dripping Springs ISD Board of Trustees, Trustee At-Large

Where to vote

Olivia Barnard Tricia Quintero Ron Jones

Travis and Hays county residents can vote at any Travis or Hays County polling place. Voters can vote for Dripping Springs ISD elections if they live within the district boundaries. Visit www.votetravis.gov for Travis County information and www.hayscountytx.gov for Hays

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Election

BY ELISABETH JIMENEZ

KEY: *Incumbent

Dripping Springs ISD Board of Trustees

Why are you running for the Dripping Springs ISD board of trustees? I’m running for reelection to continue the progress we’ve made in academic development, financial responsibility and community engagement. We’ve lowered the tax M&O tax rate, improved district transparency and prioritized safety/security. My commitment remains to serve our students taxpayers and staff for the best possible educational outcome.

What is the biggest challenge facing the district and how would you address it? Adapting to growth/financial constraints (state legislation). Even with slower growth we must accommodate…increased student population in our facilities, services, and staffing meanwhile state funding remains unchanged while taxpayers pay more. I aim to educate/engage/advocate for better local school funding while remaining committed to fiscal conservative leadership.

Olivia Barnard* Occupation & experience:

residential real estate sales and home building consultant. Current trustee, May 2022-Present www.oliviafordsisd.com

To help give students a world-class education, to provide steady leadership that keeps our community affordable and family-friendly, and to chart a course toward a future where DSISD is the envy of Texas.

Responsible growth. DSISD is bursting at the seams with new parents, new students, and new demands. This is a phenomenal time in our district’s history, but it requires thoughtful leadership to understand where we are and where we need to go—without losing ourselves in the process.

Tricia Quintero* Occupation & experience: business manager. Mother of five, current trustee, SHAC liaison, PTA member www.facebook.com/ tricia4dsisdtrustee

Offering the district a more positive public school advocacy while providing governance, oversight and common sense solutions in a fast growth, high- performing public school experience benefitting students, staff and community stakeholders.

Growth and budget deficits. The growth should be considered in a more creative and innovative fashion. Those two major impacts will dictate the future of public education in Dripping Springs for years to come. I will work to ensure that consideration is given to a proper balance of academic progression…

Ron Jones Occupation & experience: Sales Executive – Salto Systems. Dripping Springs Education Foundation 2006- 2010, DSISD Board 2014-2023 512-507-9106

Candidates were asked to keep responses under 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity. For more election coverage, go to www.communityimpact.com/voter-guide.

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Government

BY BEN THOMPSON

Global semiconductor company NXP exited an economic agreement with the city last fall, ending plans to invest about $291 million in its campuses. What happened NXP terminated its deal with Austin, intended to support updates to its local facilities, citing complications securing federal CHIPS and Science Act funding. An NXP spokesperson confirmed the company had sought CHIPS program support under a wider strategy to build its global footprint, but has stopped pursuing that federal money. Despite ending that process, NXP could still end up building its Central Texas presence. The com- pany has applied for tens of millions of dollars from the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund for local projects, according to city records. Austin backs the company’s efforts, Economic NXP ends Austin economic deal

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Development Department spokesperson Carlos Soto said, while the regional economic partnership Opportunity Austin is taking the lead on local endorsements for the state dollars with city support. NXP officials previously said the company’s Austin facilities needed modernization in order to continue running, and that the campuses could eventually shut down and see operations moved internationally without those improvements. The company didn’t confirm the current outlook for staffing and operations at the local sites.

How we got here Austin leaders voted in favor of the incentive deal supporting NXP’s investment of $148.6 million at its Oak Hill facility and $142.2 million at its east side manufacturing center in 2023. More than 50 jobs would’ve been added between both sites. The city was projected to collect more than $1.5 million through the five-year agreement. NXP also committed to funding local child care services. Since the agreement was terminated before any proposed activity took place, no local benefits were realized.

VOTEYES! 2025 DSISD BOND VOTE

for our CHILDREN for our SCHOOLS for our FUTURE

ELECTION DAY MAY 3

VOTE EARLY APRIL 22-29

WWW.DSISDFRIENDS.COM

@DSISDFriends

*Pol. Adv. Paid for by Campaign for Friends of Dripping Springs Education

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Education

BY ELISABETH JIMENEZ

Austin ISD teachers on path to higher salaries Eligible Austin ISD teachers can now earn higher salaries through the Texas Education Agency’s Teacher Incentive Allotment, or TIA. The Details Austin ISD was accepted into the TIA program which rewards “high-performing” teachers with higher salaries. Eligible teachers can earn $3,000 to $28,000 per year through TIA based on the teacher’s desig- nation. TIA designates teachers as Recognized, Exemplary or Master using data on appraisals and student growth submitted by AISD, according to a news release. Over 600 teachers representing 95% of cam- puses across the district met approved appraisal and student growth standards to be submitted for TIA designation, according to the news release. The designations bring in additional funding to

Austin ISD teams up with Dallas Cowboys Austin ISD and the Dallas Cowboys are partnering to launch a high school girls ag football league in the district. The overview The Girls FLAG Football League will begin their competitive play this spring. Each Aus- tin ISD high school will form a varsity-level 7-on-7 team to participate in the league, a news release said. AISD is one of 11 Texas districts to partner with the Cowboys to start girls ag football leagues. Each participating school district receives grant funds for the program, including fund- ing for coaching stipends, team uniforms, equipment packages from USA Football and more, the news release said.

“We’re excited to be a part of the TIA system which encourages

teachers to stay in the classroom. Our hope is they continue to do the best work of their careers in Austin ISD.” BRANDI HOSACK, AISD CHIEF TALENT STRATEGY OFFICER

the district, with 90% going directly to the teacher if they remain TIA-eligible based on their role, the release said. AISD ocials are hoping to expand the district’s TIA eligibility in 2025-26 to include special edu- cation teachers and content and dyslexia inter- ventionist sta who are supporting the general education areas included in the 2024-25 eligibility, ocials said. The TIA was created by a 2019 state law that aims to help top-performing teachers reach six-gure salaries.

Dripping Springs ISD raises after-school care cost Dripping Springs ISD community members will see an increase to after-school care costs for the upcoming 2025-26 academic year. The details in the program via a lottery process will also be implemented. The rst month’s tuition for August would be

DSISD Kids Club After-School Care Rates and Fees

Current Rates

Proposed Rates

District Contribution $50

$50

Employee Tuition (Aug.-May) Community Tuition (Aug.-May) Registration Fee: After School Registration Fee: Before School

$70

$75

due June 1 to ensure a spot in the after-school care program, according to district agenda documents. This is the third year in a row the board of trust- ees approved a tuition increase for after-school care. In March 2024, a $25 increase to the monthly tuition rate was approved.

$250

$275

Employee monthly tuition will increase by $5 to a total of $75. The monthly community rate is increasing by $25, coming out to $275 per month. A $50 nonrefundable registration fee to enroll

$50

N/A

SOURCE: DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD, COMMUNITY IMPACT

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$402M bond marks new push to build Dripping Springs’ second high school From the cover

Bond breakdown

Proposition A $399.7M

$2.6M Proposition B

The $402.3 million bond package is broken into two propositions. About 99% of the total bond package is Proposition A, at $399.7 million. Almost 75% of the bond money from Proposition A would go toward funding for the second high school. The rest would fund items such as renovations at district campuses and bus upgrades. Proposition B is $2.6 million to fund new technology devices and interactive panels in classrooms. DSISD officials said they hope the developments from the bond will alleviate overcapacity in the district.

High School No. #2 construction: $298,783,000 Capital improvements: $92,310,000

Classroom interactive panels: $764,700 Technology device refresh (students, teachers, staff): $1,835,300

Transportation: $6,099,500

Portables, furniture & equipment: $2,257,500

Technology: $250,000

SOURCE: DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

DSISD enrollment projections by school year Pre-K-5th grade 6th-8th grade

The why

9th-12th grade

DSISD officials said they have been working to address overcapacity throughout the district with new development projects. High School No. 2 would be their next objective. Dripping Springs High School, already over its 2,500 capacity by 64 students, is projected to reach more than 3,000 students by the 2027-28 school year. That’s a year before the new high school would ideally open, according to the district’s long-range plan and Morris-Kuentz. The newest high school campus off Darden Hill Road would double the district’s capacity for 9th-12th grade students. It would include a student plaza, separate buildings for fine arts and athletics, a junior-varsity stadium, student collaboration areas and more, according to preliminary designs. Regardless of whether the bond passes,

6K 5K 4K 3K 2K 1K 7K 0 2024-25 2025-26 2026-27 2027-28 2028-29 2029-30 2030-31 2031-32 2032-33 2033-34

SOURCE: POPULATION AND SURVEY ANALYSTS/COMMUNITY IMPACT

Morris-Kuentz said that number would balloon to 10 portables by the 2028-29 school year if the bond does not pass, as Population and Survey Analysts predicts DSHS will have 3,200 students by then.

Morris-Kuentz said the current high school will need four portables in the short term. The district will start the process of installing those on the campus “as soon as school gets out,” she said.

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BY ELISABETH JIMENEZ

What people are saying

Keep in mind

The interest and sinking tax rate for this election is expected to remain the same at $0.35 per $100 of property value. The I&S tax rate is only used to pay off debts from voter-approved bonds. This is a separate tax rate from the maintenance and operations tax rate, which funds day-to- day expenses within the district, such as staff salaries, utility costs and classroom supplies. The DSISD I&S tax rate has remained the same since 2016, according to district officials. Although the I&S tax rate is expected to remain the same, one’s appraised market property value can impact their property tax bill. As required by Texas law, the statement “This is a property tax increase” must be included on DSISD voter ballots, regard- less of the bond’s impact on the tax rate, because the district is taking on more debt if the bond were to pass.

Lauren Caiella, co-chair of district advocacy group Friends of DSISD, said the bond could help improve student outcomes in the district through more offerings for trades, such as technology or culinary arts. Some residents are concerned about the district’s University Interscholastic League 6A ranking potentially dropping to 5A because of enrollment changes. For DSHS senior and student athlete Jack- son Mills, he said a new school means more teams, giving more students the chance to participate in sports. Getting to class is also difficult because of over- crowding in the hallways, Mills said. Students can run late because of the bottleneck created when going from one class to another, he said. Matt Walker, Friends of DSISD co-chair and former substitute teacher, said the additional space offered by a new high school also benefits teachers and staff. Walker said that large class sizes and overcrowd- ing can be difficult working conditions for teachers, leading to more turnover. Additionally, even with the extra classrooms portables offer, space in

“If we can get the class sizes lower than what they are now, I think that’ll put a lot more freedom in the teacher’s hands, as far as being

able to operate their classroom goes, and we’ll see more learning throughout the district.”

JACKSON MILLS, DSHS STUDENT

facilities at a school are still limited, he said. Having upgraded infrastructure and addressing overcrowding at schools through the bond funding impacts how the board is able to manage the district operating budget, Walker said. “The only way we can build new schools is through a bond,” he said. “Some of these repairs—if there’s not a bond for it—then yes, that comes out of the general fund, which then affects what we have on hand for teacher raises and teacher retention. It’s all interconnected.”

What’s next

The deadline to register to vote is April 3. Early voting begins April 22. For more information about the May bond, visit www.dsisdtx.us.

If the bond is approved by voters, Morris- Kuentz said she wants to “turn the dirt as quick as possible” for construction of the new high school to have the campus ready by 2028, which already has preliminary designs.

If the bond fails, district officials will have to look back at the bond package to determine what changes may need to be made to go up for another bond election, Morris-Kuentz said.

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