Byline: Bob Banta, AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Voters in the Thrall school district will go to the polls Feb. 5 to decide whether the school district should issue $1.7 million in bonds to refinance debt for past construction and pay for upgrades at various campuses, ranging from paving to new air-conditioning systems.
During the late 1990s, the district spent about $1.2 million from its maintenance and operations account to build a cafetorium, band hall, field house and athletic stadium and additions to its elementary school, board President Bonner Hardegree said.
"What we want to do is take this short-term debt from our operations fund and pay it from our sinking and interest fund," Hardegree said.
A school district's maintenance and operations fund pays for items such as teaching salaries and utilities. A district's interest and sinking fund relies on long-term income from selling bonds to pay off debts such as those incurred by big construction projects.
The district already taxes residents at $1.50 per $100 in assessed home property value for operations, the maximum allowed by state law. Another 12 cents of the tax rate pays for bond debt, for a total tax rate of $1.62.
Hardegree said that if the bond issue passes, the current tax rate could rise as much as 8 cents, although trustees say they hope the increase will be less.
"While the maximum increase over time is about 8 cents, the impact may be less than that depending upon what the Texas Legislature decides," Hardegree said.
One of the key issues before the legislature this session is how to finance public schools, and most proposals involved reducing local property taxes. School officials across Texas are not sure how much money they will get from the state to help run their campuses until lawmakers come up with a new plan.
The remaining $500,000 of the bond proposal would pay for:
* A facility for feeding animals in the district's agricultural studies programs.
* An asphalt play slab on the elementary school playground and a sidewalk in front of the school.
* A better lighting system in all campuses and 12 energy-efficient heating and air conditioning systems in the middle and elementary buildings.
* Other maintenance projects, such as resurfacing tennis courts, replacing a gymnasium floor and installing lights on the softball field.
The Thrall district has 530 students at its elementary, middle school and high school campuses, all of which are located on one complex in the city.
bbanta@statesman.com; 246-0005