Voters to decide on Eanes ISD $131 million bond

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Eanes ISD Board of Trustees called a May 6 bond election for voters to consider maintenance and efficiency projects, safety and security upgrades, new technological devices for students and staff and stadium upgrades.

The total bond package is about $131 million, which will be broken down into three propositions.

Proposition A: $117.773 million for safety and security upgrades, repairs and refurbishments at all Eanes ISD campuses. Other projects include energy-efficiency projects, network replacements, a new learning management system, library modernization, roof and HVAC repairs, parking lot pavement and fine arts equipment replacements.

See election results after polls close at 7 p.m.

Proposition B: $2.411 million for Chaparral Stadium projects including safety upgrades, pole lighting replacements, a new video board and track surface replacement.

Proposition C: $11.245 million for digital device and computer equipment replacements for students and staff.

The district said by paying for these projects with bond revenue, the district will leave more money in its Maintenance & Operations fund to help pay for teacher and staff salaries.

“We have 10 campuses altogether,” Eanes ISD Superintendent Jeff Arnett said. “That is about 7,500 students across the district “

Arnett said, if passed, every campus would receive work from the bond.

“A lot of people don’t know that our newest school in Eanes ISD is 25 years old,” Arnett said.

Eanes ISD said the bond program will not impact the debt service tax rate.

The current Eanes ISD debt service tax rate will remain $0.12 cents per $100 property valuation regardless of the election’s outcome. Arnette said the ballot language can be confusing.

“For each of the three propositions, it will indicate that this is a property tax increase,” Arnett said. “Again, it is not a property tax increase that we can control, that is really more related to real estate values. We are not increasing the tax rate in any of these propositions.”

Voters approved an $80 million bond package in 2019 that funded safety and security updates, student programs, energy efficiency, facilities improvements and new facilities.