GCISD Provides Bond Information
Editor’s Note: The following information is taken from a GCISD brochure.
The GCISD Board of Trustees is asking voters to approve $12 million in bonded indebtedness to pay for several school improvement projects. Why use bond money rather than regular operating funds for these projects?
The state of Texas considers Glasscock County ISD to be a “property rich” school district, and therefore requires that part of its revenues be sent to the Texas Education Agency as part of a program called “recapture.” Currently, GCISD is required to send 77 percent of all taxes collected to TEA, keeping only 23 cents of each tax dollar. In the 2008 – 2009 school year, the amount sent to TEA was approximately $7.8 million.
Schools are presently allowed to avoid recapture on money used for debt service, such as funds used to pay for bonds. If the school bond passes in the May election, GCISD will be allowed to keep 100 percent of the taxes collected to pay for the bond. All of the bond proceeds will be used in the district. No bond money will be subject to recapture.
Some of the proposed projects are itemized below.
DISTRICT WIDE IMPROVEMENTS: electrical updates, sewage updates, covered parking for buses, new flooring in classrooms and cafeteria, locker rooms, basketball gymnasium, convert present game gym locker rooms for storage and community storm shelter, auditorium lighting and sound, update and expand school nurse’s facilities and possibly upgrade school housing.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IMPROVEMENTS: add a science lab, upgrade classrooms, relocate playground and remodel Head Start – third grade bathroom.
HIGH SCHOOL IMPROVEMENTS: upgrade classrooms and install new, larger lockers.
PARKING LOTS AND TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS: address parking needs with regard to safety and traffic flow for student pick-up and provide buses and cars as needed.
The projected tax increase on homes would range from $12 for a home valued at $25,000 to $222 for one valued at $200,000. Homeowners who are 65 and over will not have any tax increases on their homes.
Voters are asked to call the GCISD office at 432/354-2230 or any board member with questions regarding the bond. Board members are: Andy Wheeler, president, 397-2753; Tibby Niehues, vice-president, 354-2220; Carl Hoelscher, secretary, 397-2658; Nathan Halfmann, 354-2625; Kevin Hirt, 397-2444; Doug Jost, 397-2205 and Doug Schaefer, 354-2564.