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Midland Independent School District Bond Measures (2007)
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Bond history Finances Local ballot measures, Texas |
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Voters in the Midland Independent School District, which is located in Midland County in western Texas, approved two bond measures on May 12, 2007. Together the bonds totaled just over $37 million. The first bond, called Proposition 1, asked for $30 million for improvements to the district's elementary schools. The second bond, called Proposition 2, asked for $7,160,000 in order to construct new athletic facilities in the district and to renovate older ones.[1]
District officials estimated that the two bond issues would result in property taxes increasing by $31.95 per year for an owner of a home valued at $95,675, which comes out to $2.66 per month.[2]
Proposition 1 was passed with 60.38 percent of voters casting ballots to approve it. Proposition 2 was approved by 55.27 percent of voters. Slightly less than 6,500 votes were cast in each of the bond measures, which is about nine percent of the 70,000 voters that were registered at the time.[3]
In the years prior to 2007, one school bond failed in 2000 and three failed in 2002. In 2003, one school bond was rejected, but another was passed for $67.1 million. The largest school bond in the school district's history was passed in 2012, which totaled $163 million. For more information on these bonds, check out the Midland Independent School District bond history page.
Election results
Proposition 1
| Midland Independent School District Proposition 1, 2007[1] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
 Yes | 3,896 | 60.38% | ||
| No | 2,556 | 39.62% | ||
Proposition 2
| Midland Independent School District Proposition 2, 2007[1] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Yes | 3,567 | 55.27% | ||
| No | 2,887 | 44.73% | ||
Bond supporters
Investing in Midland's Future … Our Kids
The bond was supported by the Investing in Midland's Future … Our Kids political action committee, which was created in April. Key members included chairman Jim Henry, treasurer Karen Fullen, former MISD trustee Linda Foster and Jim Byerlotzer. The group planned meetings with PTAs and civic groups and used advertisements to promote the bond. Foster said the most important challenge of the group was to get the vote out.[4] When asked if he thought voters would support the bond, Henry said, "it's hard to be against apple pie and mom and elementary school kids."[5]
District superintendent
In the months preceding the election, Superintendent Sylvester Perez presented at the 12 elementary campuses so that teachers, administrators and staff would be able to answer questions about the bonds.[6] He also presented in other forums, such as the League of Women Voters. He said the additional classrooms were necessary due to increased enrollment and that adding on to existing schools was cheaper and more efficient than building new schools. "Although we like small schools, we like neighborhood schools, we like schools that have 400 to 500 students … That's nice, but that may not be the most efficient way to run a school system," he said.[7]
Bond opposition
As the election grew near, proponents of the bond remarked that there had not been any controversy surrounding the propositions.[8]
| “ | It's been quiet. It's been real quiet and nobody knows what that means. I hope it's because everyone knows Midland is growing and our student enrollment is growing. It's pretty obvious we need classrooms.[9] | ” |
| —Executive Director of Auxiliary Services Wilson Heidelberg[8] | ||
Use of bond funds
Proposition 1
Proposition 1 funds were applied to improvements in the district's elementary schools. Specific projects included 84 new classrooms in nine fast-growth schools, the conversion of Bowie Elementary School into a fine arts magnet school ($4 million) and improvements to the Carter Center ($1 million).[2]
The following campuses received new classrooms:
- DeZavala, four classrooms: $1.22 million
- Fannin, ten classrooms: $3.22 million
- Greathouse, ten classrooms: $2.6 million
- Henderson, eight classrooms: $2.74 million
- Houston, twelve classrooms: $3.85 million
- Milam, ten classrooms: $3.228 million
- Santa Rita, eight classrooms: $2.28 million
- Scharbauer, 14 classrooms: $3.82 million
- Travis, eight classrooms: $2.01 million[2]
Proposition 2
Proposition 2 funds were spent on athletic facilities at Midland Lee High School, Midland High School, Lee and Midland freshman high schools, and Alamo, Goddard and San Jacinto junior high schools.[2]
Specific projects included:
Lee High School: $3.72 million
- Replace portable building with new soccer and softball field house (including six dressing rooms, a training room, concession stand and public restrooms)
- Replace roof and partial deck in small and large gyms
Midland High School: $3.44 million
- Replace portable building with new soccer and softball field house (including six dressing rooms and a training room)
- New bleachers in large gym
- Install air conditioning in small gym
Midland Freshman High School, Goddard Junior High and San Jacinto Junior High
- Install air conditioning in small and large gyms
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'Midland Independent School District' Texas '2007 bond'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Midland Independent School District, Texas
- Midland Independent School District finances
- Midland Independent School District bond history
- Local school bonds on the ballot
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Midland Independent School District, "Midland ISD Bond Elections as of 2013," accessed November 24, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Midland Reporter-Telegram, "Perez: MISD needs more classrooms," April 3, 2007
- ↑ Midland Reporter-Telegram, "MISD bond," May 13, 2007
- ↑ Midland Reporter-Telegram, "Group forms in support of MISD bond," April 14, 2007
- ↑ Midland Reporter-Telegram, "Committee chair: 'Bond fatigue' not issue," April 25, 2007
- ↑ Midland Reporter-Telegram, "Fannin gets MISD bond presentation," March 9, 2007
- ↑ Midland Reporter-Telegram, "MISD Superintendent:Expanding existing schools an efficient use of tax dollars," April 26, 2007
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Midland Reporter-Telegram, "Ramp up to MISD bond election has been quiet," April 29, 2007
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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