Voters to decide $770 million bond for Austin Community College expansions

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Voters could approve a bond worth more than three-quarters of a billion dollars this election cycle that would allow Austin Community College to build two new campuses and expand workforce training programs in areas like health care and manufacturing.

The ACC Board of Trustees unanimously agreed in August to put this $770 million general obligation bond on the ballot, and early voting began Monday on this proposal. If it's ultimately approved, it would help fund improvements at every region of its district, which includes Williamson, Travis and Hays Counties.

After that initial approval, board chair Dr. Nan McRaven said in a news release, "We have taken a thorough and thoughtful approach to develop a bond that can solve some of our community's most urgent workforce challenges. Austin's fast-paced growth has created a huge need for homegrown talent to fill high-skilled, well-paying jobs."

The biggest portion of the bond ($200 million) would pay for the construction of a new campus in southeast Travis County. According to the bond proposal's projects website, this center would focus on advanced manufacturing and skilled trades, like welding, as well as building construction technology.

Additionally, ACC plans to funnel $100 million apiece to fund projects at a couple of its campuses. For instance, at the Hays location, that would help pay for a "significant expansion" in its health services program, particularly in professional nursing. Meanwhile, the college intends to expand its advanced manufacturing program and create space for a "new Entrepreneurship Institute and Cyber Security Program" at the Highland campus in north Austin.

ACC board members said the college would be able to issue these bonds without raising its tax rate. However, since property values are expected to rise in the area, that would still mean an increase for taxpayers. The college's own estimates show that leaders believe someone with a home worth $500,000 would pay up to $5 per year over the first five years, maxing out at $25 per year for the remainder of the bond.

This is the college's third bond election in its history. The most recent vote happened in 2014 when voters approved $385 million in bonds that included construction of the second phase of ACC Highland and historical renovations to the main building at the Rio Grande campus.