Cy-Fair Passes $713 Million Bond

[houstonsemipro]

Dec. 12, 2004, 12:34AM

Cy-Fair approves bond issue

The $713 million will allow for new schools, updates

By PARIS ACHEN

Chronicle Correspondent

A record $713 million bond issue to build new schools and renovate older ones in Cypress-Fairbanks won overwhelming approval Saturday.

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The two-pronged bond referendum is the fourth voters have approved in the past decade in the Cy-Fair Independent School District, a system poised to become the third-largest in Texas.

"This establishes once again that Cy-Fair ISD values education. Voters realize that with the phenomenal growth we must have more space to educate kids," Superintendent David Anthony said.

The first proposition for $659 million garnered 75 percent of the vote.

It allows the district to borrow money to build 11 schools, buy land for 18 school sites and purchase 194 buses. It also provides money to renovate 47 older schools and replace aging technology throughout the district.

The second proposition for $54 million won with 72 percent of the vote.

That money will give each high school expanded music and multipurpose facilities.

Officials are expected to increase the property-tax rate for debt service by up to 3 cents per $100 of value in the next five years. That would be about $19.50 more per year for the owner of a home valued at $100,000.

Opponents of the bond issue said they were not surprised by the outcome considering that only 5 percent of registered voters turned out.

"The school district held the election on a date in December when nobody knew about it rather than a regular election date," said Paul O'Finan, a Cy-Fair resident who voted against both propositions.

A political action committee collected about $72,000 in donations from corporations, including companies that make millions from school-construction contracts, to campaign for approval of the bond package. The committee, called Citizens for Cy-Fair ISD Bonds, placed 10 newspaper ads, distributed 1,500 yard signs and mailed 198,000 pamphlets and get-out-the-vote postcards.

Earl Springer, a resident who led a steering committee that recommended the bond proposal, said he thinks the measure passed because taxpayers are educated about the need for more schools.

Cy-Fair grew by 4,500 students this year, bringing enrollment to more than 79,000.

Previous bond packages in 1994, 1998 and 2001 equaled $811 million and won by large margins. The 2001 referendum won support from 85 percent of voters, but only 2.4 percent of those registered participated. That election also was held in December.

paris.achen@chron.com

[Kam]

I live in the Cy-Fair area, and I just graduated from a high school in the Cy-Fair area in 2001, and at that time, I remember reading, or seeing that we were the fifth largest school district in Texas, and the second fastest growing in the United States. We were behind HISD, Dallas ISD, San Antonio ISD, and Austin ISD.

I think I remember reading this in 98 or 99.

Now in 2004, I read that we are third in the state. We could probably move up to the biggest in the state because we still have a bunch of undeveloped land.

I think in that bond, the district is suppose to build a second district stadium, and a basketball type venue like Coleman Coliseum in Spring Branch or the Campbell Center in Aldine.

And no, I did not vote.

I knew about it, but uh, didn't know what was up.

And FIRST POST!

WOoOO!, go KAM.