Midway ISD’s bond election is one of the biggest items Waco-area voters will decide on as early voting begins Monday in the Nov. 4 state and local election.
The $83.5 million bond issue focuses on improving existing campuses rather than making room for growth. There is no tax rate increase associated with the bond.
The three-part bond referendum will address deferred maintenance on several campuses, add high school lockers and a new high school gym. In addition, the bond package includes tech and security upgrades.
Early voting continues through Oct. 31 for the November election, which also includes multiple state constitutional amendments and the China Spring ISD voter-approved tax rate election.
Here are some takeaways from the Midway election:
What’s on the ballot?
The ballot language as required by state law states that the bond represents a tax increase. However, Midway officials stress that the tax rate will remain the same at 93.7 cents per $100 valuation regardless of whether it passes or fails. The adopted tax rate is the same as last year’s.
The bond is broken into propositions A, B and C, as required by state law.
Prop A: For the “construction, improvement, expansion, renovation and equipment of school facilities and safety and security enhancements, … the purchase of necessary sites for school facilities and purchase of school buses.”
What it includes: Mostly covers deferred maintenance.
Cost: $75.65 million
Prop B: For “constructing, improving, modernizing and equipping extra/co-curricular facilities including installation of LED lighting, security and technology at such facilities.”
What it includes: LED lighting and communications and security upgrades at sports facilities.
“LED lighting is your single fastest return on investment from an energy consumption point of view,” Superintendent Chris Allen said.
Cost: $1.35 million
Prop C: For “acquiring and updating instructional technology equipment.”
What it includes: Teacher and student devices such as computers, necessary for state testing.
Cost: $6.5 million
What deferred maintenance will this address?
Midway ISD has heard parent complaints about the smell of schools due to issues with climate control systems, Midway officials said. In some cases, several facilities went without air conditioning for weeks, sometimes months. Two years ago, the district had to delay the first day of school due to a water line break. Other issues include repeated power outages due to electricity issues and technology crashes.
“We have some components and systems that are just creeping up on end of life and need replacement, because repairing them is no longer a good option,” Allen said. “In addition, we have them in such volume that we don’t have the money to do those replacements, and I don’t have the manpower. I say this all the time, ‘I don’t have a maintenance department, I have a repair department.’”
What happens if the bond fails?
A failed bond would mean the tax rate remains the same, but revenue that would have gone to the bond projects will be used to accelerate payment of existing debt.
The school district cannot use the debt portion of its tax rate (called “interest and sinking”) to fund its maintenance and operations expenses. So even when old debt is retired, the district can’t use that money to cover its operating deficit, which is $3 million this year.
If voters reject approve the bond, the district will be forced to make tough decisions, Allen said.
“One of two things will happen: things will be broken and not get fixed or I’m going to have to reduce the size of our teaching staff so I can pay for air conditioners,” Allen said.
Why the focus on existing facilities?
A facility study committee proposed building a new, larger school to replace Speegleville Elementary, but the school board chose not to pursue that project in this election because of questions about growth trends.
“So what this has done is provided the board the flexibility to have the resources available within our bonded capacity to potentially three, four or five years from now, go get additional bond dollars to create facilities where they are needed,” Allen said.
Midway ISD has seen enrollment stagnate in the last couple of years, sitting at 8,730 this month, down from 8,824 a year ago.
But the district has seen growth in programs such as the Goal Tenders dance/drill team and the Tango Flight program that allows students to build an airplane. Midway’s special education program has also continued to grow.
“We do think our enrollment is going to increase, probably not next year, but the year after that, moving forward, and that’s simply because of the amount of housing development that is planned for areas within the Midway ISD attendance zone,” Allen said.
What is Midway’s financial position?
Midway ISD has a hefty industrial tax base, including the Amazon fulfillment center and the new Graphic Packaging plant, which helps it retire debt quickly.
The district has been able to pay debt early through the money it generates from the interest and sinking portion of the tax rate.
The I&S rate accounts for 24 cents of the current tax rate of 93.7 cents per $100 valuation.
That I&S tax rate is the second-lowest in Texas when compared to school districts between 5,000 and 10,000 students with $100 million of outstanding debt.
“We take that additional money (and) we pay off debt early,” said Midway ISD communications director Emily Parks. “It’s financially smart. It is being good stewards to our community and our taxpayers, to use their money wisely. It saves millions in interest costs, and it shortens the amount of time that we end up having to pay on debt.”
Since 2018, Midway ISD’s overall tax rate has decreased by 38 cents.
Where can I vote early?
Midway voters can choose any of the following countywide early vote centers:
Hewitt City Hall/Library
Waco Multipurpose Center
McLennan County Records Building
Holy Spirit Episcopal Church
Robinson Community Center
