On August 18, 2023 the Decatur ISD School board voted to call for a bond election on November 7, 2023.
If approved by voters, the bond package will not require any increase in the district’s debt service tax rate, which currently stands at 23.37 cents per $100 of taxable value.
Historical growth in the Decatur ISD property values and the district maintaining the current I&S (debt) rate, allows this to be a no tax increase bond election. If this bond election passes the district will incur additional debt with these bonds, but will not need to increase tax rates in order to fund the debt payments as long as Decatur has continued growth in property values.
As required by law the following statement must appear on the November ballot: “THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.” The reasoning behind this required ballot language is that should a catastrophic event occur, the local school board always has the authority to raise I&S (debt) taxes to cover debt payments for the bonds issued.
Proposition A: $54.9 million. Facility Life Cycle Projects and New Construction Construction, renovation, acquisition and equipment of school facilities including but not limited to HVAC, roofing, tennis and soccer locker room, safety and security, new school buses, interactive displays for classrooms, network infrastructure replacement over 10 years and surveillance system refresh
Proposition B: $5.8 million Eagle Stadium Replace grass field with turf, new restroom and concession facility, paint and add a wrap to fencing
Proposition C: $7.4 million Technology Includes device replacements (a four-year replacement cycle for student and teacher devices)
A majority of the items in these propositions were part of the May 2023 bond proposal.
Further information concerning the November 2023 bond proposals is available here.
Questions concerning the bond should be emailed to communications@decaturisd.us.