SAN ANGELO, TX — Bonds are large loans, and the San Angelo ISD is considering asking voters to approve borrowing $150 million in a bond election May 5. The San Angelo ISD Board of Trustees will vote to approve placing the bond on the ballot on Feb. 12. According to notes on the last committee presentation, it appears staff is suggesting a $150 million bond will cost an property taxpayer owning a $100,000 home $108.72 per year in increased taxes as a result of the rate hike. That figure does not take into account the property tax gross increase that incorporates a higher appraised value.
What does the San Angelo ISD want to do with $150 million? A peek at the minutes of the district’s Long range Facilities Planning Committee offers us a clue.
Here’s the list of projects ranked by need from presentations given the committee:
| Facility | Objective | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|---|
| McGill Elementary | additions and renovations | $22,200,000 |
| Fort Concho Elementary | renovations (control vest, fencing) | $1,000,000 |
| Bonham Elementary | renovations (control vest, fencing) | $2,000,000 |
| Alta Loma Elementary | additions and renovations | $14,900,000 |
| Bowie Elementary | additions and renovations | $18,100,000 |
| Austin Elementary | renovations only | $13,500,000 |
| Fannin Elementary | additions and renovations | $18,000,000 |
| Belaire Elementary | renovations (rr renov, control vest, fencing) | $2,000,000 |
| Glenn Middle School | additions and renovations (additional classrooms, new band, control vest, cafeteria addition, renov boys gym) | $15,000,000 |
| Lincoln Middle School | controlled entry vestibule | $500,000 |
| Lincoln Middle School | new 4 lane track | $400,000 |
| Central HS | New Multipurpose Center | $30,400,000 |
| Central Freshman Campus | restroom renov only | $5,000,000 |
| Central HS | New Auditorium | $0 |
| Central HS | band expansion phase 2 & 3 0 | $0 |
| Lake View HS | BB/SB locker rms, rr, concess. | $3,000,000 |
| Lake View HS | CTE additions & renovations | $0 |
| Central HS | cafeteria expansion | $0 |
| Carver Learning Center | $0 | |
| San Angelo Stadium | ADA upgrades | $0 |
| San Angelo Stadium | New Press Box | $0 |
| Additional Projects That Could Fit | ||
| Central HS | band expansion phase 2 & 3 | $5,500,000 |
| Lake View HS | CTE additions & renovations | $6,200,000 |
| Central HS | cafeteria expansion | $5,200,000 |
| Carver Learning Center | $4,400,000 | |
| San Angelo Stadium | ADA upgrades | $5,000,000-$7,700,000 |
Items marked with $0 or with no amount were likely eliminated from consideration by the committee as they considered priority projects to fund with the bond. This list only offers a glimpse of district facility improvement priorities discussed with the citizen committee. A more structured list of projects for the bond will likely be incorporated into the bond issue election proposal next month.
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JOE HYDE: Now is the time for you to do your publishing . The expansion for phase 2 and 3 for Central band is listed but something that will probably not get funded according to this article. Phase 1 was obviously completed but when all the students and staff are in the band hall or concert hall there is barely room to breath much play practice in a place that is 100% for the space 400 students need to practice. If you have ever noticed they take up most of the football field on Friday nights. Going back several years ago (check it out with the school board) the reason phase 2 and 3 are mentioned is because it had previously been discussed and should of been in place by now and has never been started. How could they even bring up phase 2 and 3 if it had not previously been planned. Central High has a very talented group of young adults who practice many hours during and outside of school to be the band they have become over the years. They have a very dedicated director who cares about the school, the kids and the community. He wants and expects them to do there very best and that is what makes them the MIGHTY BOBCAT MARCHING BAND. These kids go out and play every Friday for football games and compete on Saturdays during the month of October . This means lots of practice, lots of time on the bus, and no sleep. Everyone wants to see the CHS Bobcat football team win a state championship. Well, everyone wants to the Mighty Bobcat band win a State Competition but they need phase 2 and 3 to be completed, they need new instruments, and they need the props and equipment for the halftime shows and competition in order to have a chance to win a state competition. That all cost money. Go to the Midland/Odessa area and see what the school district spends on there facilities, there students, there instruments, there equipment and props for competition and it will make San Angelo schools look like our students go to school on welfare funds for our band compared to everyone else in the State. Now your job Mr. Hyde is to get the facts I have pointed out and post them. If you cannot find any facts feel free to email and I will take my own time and help you find them.
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PermalinkI couldn't care less WHEN or WHO discussed any phases for any of this.......if you feel these are NECESSARY for furthering the education of these children, allow the parent's of said students to foot 100% of the tax hike! I am not willing to pay a higher tax than my already LARGELY INFLATED taxes for a large number of the allocations listed above. Joe Hyde did exactly what his job requires him to do and gave the breakdown of such a large amount of money that FOOLS are expecting us to pay! AND, it's ironic how you singled out ONE of the numerous foolish amounts of money.......I'm assuming you're a band director? Maybe your child/grandchild is in the CHS Band? In all reality, you could use your ridiculous $30M "multi-purpose facility" for a band hall!!!!!
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PermalinkI may of singled this one thing but did not really mean too. I too have wondered why we have to pay school taxes when we do not have any kids in school. My kids are grown and gone. NO, I am not the band director nor do I work for any part of any school district. I understand that phase 2 and 3 was something the school board had already approved and never followed though. As far as other schools, yes they all need repairs. I always think of Bonham as being the new elementary school then realize my boys when to school there and they were born in 1980 and 1982. So it is not new. When they mention re-doing the bathroom at the freshman campus they talked about $5 million. That sounds like a enough to build a whole new school but it's not. Think about how old that building is. I don't know but it's old. Plumbing in the floor is probably copper and rotted. It all needs to be ripped up and replaced.. Then I have no clue how many restrooms that school has. There are lots of thing none of us know. But if it's to much to fix the restrooms then place potta potties on school grounds and that would be cheaper on all of us. Better yet we can all get one for our house. I bet the cost of one is less than what my water bill is and I am sure everyone will agree it's a rip off.
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PermalinkSan Angelo is not Midland/Odessa. They have the Oil Boom and Interstate. San Angelo has the outlying of the Oil Boom. San Angelo has to be better at doing more with less. San Angelo also wants to be a retirement town so there goes that extra revenue of big spenders. No big companies here except for a few that need college educated workers. Lots of restaurants equals minimum wage (if not working for tips) and more overweight citizens requiring medical care; thus, the government going broke meaning less revenue for San Angelo. City can not tax the citizens to death. But in that regards, San Angelo Council and ISD needs to keep the city alive.
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PermalinkI wonder why San angelo wants to be a retirement town. I do not see anything here to retire for. The reason we do not have any big companies is because everytime we have had a decent company come in there are no tax incentives so they close up and move on. The government in San Angelo is going broke since they are taking kickbacks from people and putting it in there pocket. Dwayne Morrison was the worst Mayor every. Personally, I was glad when our taxes dropped by 500.00 per year but my husband had to be declared disabled to get it so we live paycheck to paycheck. But regardless, San Angelo schools are in sad shape in some places and need repairs.
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PermalinkJ.L. I agree with every word you said. Not sure why San Angelo wants to be a retirement town. I heard that statement when growing up. A retirement town only works for the medical field. As to kickbacks, I am have to agree as this town wants to remain the same from day one. And yes, I also agree on the worst Mayor. His tenure was "flat" with no growth or the rebuilding of the city. The schools do need repairs I grant you that but lets do one thing first with the money we do have and not count on the New Oil Boom.
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PermalinkStart a Go Fund Me page! I am sick of my taxes continually going up, the roads here still suck, crime is getting worse and I have no children in any of the schools here and it is getting to the point I am going to have to seriously think about packing it in and finding a new city that I can afford to live in. You are taxing us to the point we can barely keep our house payments up, let alone the utilities paid and providing food for the family.
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