Frisco ISD voters can expect a $1.08 billion bond package and a new tax rate vote on the November ballot.
Frisco ISD board members placed the bond package and tax rate election on the ballot for the Nov. 5 general election during an Aug. 19 meeting. Approving the tax rate and calling the tax rate election was approved by trustees on a 5-2 vote, with Stephanie Elad and Marvin Lowe casting dissenting votes.
Calling a bond election passed by a vote of 6 to 1, with Elad voting against. Elad expressed concerns about the way the bond proposals were packaged. She would have preferred to see the campus renewal and construction of Staley Middle School separated from the rest of Proposition A.
“Regardless of where we are on November 5, I hope this district continues to explore measures to reduce spending, achieve a balanced budget and reduce the tax burden on our community,” she said.
If voters approve all bond proposals, the district’s interest and tax rate – used for bonds and debt service – would not increase from the current rate of $0.27.
Clarify details
The bond, totaling $1.08 billion, is divided into three proposals covering maintenance, technology and sports facilities.
Proposal A contains 986 million US dollars for campus renovation, replacement of furniture and equipment and other costs. The proposal includes:
- Renewal of 20 campuses reaching their 25th year
- Construction of a new Staley Middle School
- Refreshment of furniture and equipment for schools not included in the 25-year refresh
- Repair of landscaping and paving work throughout the district
- Purchase of new school buses, work vehicles, a petrol station and a truck washing facility
- Improving security
Construction on the new Staley Middle School, which opened in 1996, could begin in 2025 and be completed in 2026, pending approval. According to a social media post from the school, Staley students were dismissed early on Aug. 19 due to a malfunction in the campus’s cooling system.
The new building will be built adjacent to the existing campus. During construction, students will be able to live on the existing Staley campus, which will be used for special education students ages 18 to 21 after the middle school students vacate.
Proposal B Is 88.2 million US dollars and includes a technology update to replace outdated devices to maintain the district’s one-to-one student-to-device ratio from kindergarten through 12th grade.
Proposal C comes with 11.2 million US dollars to build a tennis center with 16 outdoor courts for tournaments.
Dive deeper
Along with the bond, voters will consider a $0.0294 per $100 increase in the maintenance and operations tax rate through a tax rate election, also called a VATRE. A VATRE is used when a county needs to increase its tax rate above a certain threshold, which voters must then consider in an election.
Maintenance and operations, also known as M&O, finances payroll and other operating costs.
The district’s total tax rate, if approved by voters, would be $1.0569 per $100. This amount is made up of $0.7869 for maintenance and operations and $0.27 for interest and principal, which cover debt repayment.
The average homeowner in Frisco ISD could see a $158 increase in their tax bill if the new rate is approved. That’s based on an average home value of $727,914 and a taxable value of $539,763, according to a board workshop presentation.
The new tax rate would generate $11.5 million in additional revenue for the district. Overall, the increase would generate $19.5 million in revenue, but $8 million would be returned to the state, the meeting presentation said.
Most recently, in 2018, FISD voters approved an increase in the M&O portion of the tax rate by $0.13 per $100 of valuation.
