“New bond proposal in Eanes ISD”
AUSTIN — Eanes Independent School District is proposing a new $80 million bond to be held on May 4th.
According to the district’s website, an overview of the proposed bond requires no tax rate increase and includes projects under safety & security, student programs & support, energy efficiency & conversation, facilities, and co-curricular & extracurricular spaces would not be issued until proper permitting and construction design are defined and operational costs are mitigated or eliminated.
“Property values in our area are high so residence always carry a heavy tax burden,” said Laura Clark, parent of Eanes ISD student. “The board of directors and district are sensitive to the high taxes and work to put forward bonds that will not increase the tax rate.”
The Eanes ISD 2018–2019 Financial Report for the adopted budget showed the property tax totaling $152,429,055 for the 2017–2018 amended budget. The proposed budget for the 2018–2019 year shows the property taxes increasing to $160,773,786. The difference between the two different school years showcased student enrollment decreasing by 20 students.
“You have two different kinds of budgets, you can finance it out of your bond or you can finance it out of your maintenance and operations budget,” said Steve Ramsey, Westlake High School Principal.
Westlake High School is one of the schools that is listed on the district’s website as one of the schools that is highly benefiting from the bond.
“The bond allows us to, [purchase things] for a marching band. You’re going to have to buy new tubas every once in a while, you’re going to have to buy uniforms every once in a while, buy new seats like in choir, you may have to buy new risers, new music, new things to accompany the choir program and the same thing in the orchestra and fine arts. Having to buy different types of cellos, basses, and violins and making sure that the upkeep of their rooms, equipment and their storage area is maintained,” said Ramsey.
Vice President of the Eanes ISD Board of Trustees, John Havenstrite, said this bond is of enrichment items.
In regards to the Safety and Security project, Havenstrite said this project was not about arming teachers with guns or adding metal detectors to schools.
“Safety and security are at the forefront of everybody that’s involved in public education,” said Havenstrite.
“It’s an important bond for us to pass as it is, for the most part, a maintenance and operation bond. Most items on this bond will need to be done regardless of the bond passing or not. If the bond doesn’t pass these items will have to be funded out of our already tight operating budget,” said Clark.
