Info on school bonds and propositions for the still-undecided Travis County voter

Still undecided? Don't worry -- you're not alone!

Early voting continues today through Friday, with Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. If you haven't voted yet because you haven't had time to research the propositions and bonds on the ballot, we hope this article will help. We also hope it will empower you to not feel guilty about saying no to increased local government spending during the Biden-Harris recession.

TRAVIS COUNTY 

We recommend a vote AGAINST county Proposition A. 

This one's for everyone, no matter where you live in the county. The description says it all: it's intended to fund child care services, but it involves too much decision-making over who gets the money by our DEI-supporting Democrat county leadership. It also stands to distort the marketplace and make things more expensive for child care businesses that do not get government funds. It would also raise your taxes on average by $140 per year.

More info: https://thetravistracker.blogspot.com/2024/10/child-care-in-crisis-whats-real.html

PFLUGERVILLE

We endorse a FOR vote on ESD No. 2 Proposition A. 

Don't be misled by union workers who blindly insist that this is an "attack on the fire department" (it's not). Voting FOR Proposition A is the first step toward fixing a very complicated ambulance service problem by ending the tax for undelivered services and bringing ESD 2 and the city of Pflugerville to the bargaining table for a better path forward for everyone involved.

An ESD, or an Emergency Services District, is a taxing entity that can levy a tax to perform emergency services like fire and ambulance. Pflugerville is under ESD 2, which collects sales and property tax. BUT since 2021 they have not provided full EMS to the City of Pflugerville. Taxation without services, in other words -- and not much in the way of representation. 

More info: EnvisionABetterEMS.com

AUSTIN ISD

We endorse voting AGAINST Austin ISD Prop. A.

Despite lowered enrollment and opposition from numerous former Trustees, the Austin Independent School District couldn't help themselves with this ill-advised expensive band-aid "solution."

We are led to believe that if we all vote yes for yet another tax hike, more of our hard-earned money will “help fix” Austin ISD’s budget woes. What it will really do is jack up your property taxes to the tune of $400-500 extra per year while giving a small percentage to AISD because of "Robin Hood" recapture -- it would collect an estimated $171 million, but only $41 million would go to Austin ISD! 

Repubican House District 47 candidate Scott Firsing has more: https://www.scottfirsing.com/blog/vote-against-austin-isd-proposition-a-we-need-smarter-spending-and-transparency

ROUND ROCK ISD

The Tracker urges all Round Rock ISD taxpayers to vote AGAINST RRISD Prop. A.

Where to start with this Titanic of a tax hike? The "billion-dollar bond" (Propositions A-D) would not only burden taxpayers with $2 billion in debt (factoring in interest -- about $51,000 per student) but throw more money down a facilities sinkhole that has haunted this horribly mismanaged district for years (VoteNoBonds.com has more). Enrollment is declining in RRISD and many facilities are under-used and under capacity.

The Travis County Taxpayers Union released this statement and video yesterday: https://www.tctunion.org/unearthed-cfo-comments-foreshadow-mismanagement-of-round-rock-isd-billion-dollar-bond-tax-revenue

OTHER ISDs 

The Tracker endorses voting AGAINST all school bonds this time -- Austin ISD, Round Rock ISD, Coupland ISD, Manor ISD, and Marble Falls ISD. 

We can argue about education finance and praise the good men and women who work for and serve these districts all day long. But the facts remain 1) our school system is over-funded (priority needs to be given to our classrooms and teachers before we sink more money into the system) and 2) taxpayers deserve relief! The Texas Legislature gave us property tax relief, and many local boards are trying to gobble up your savings with unnecessary bonds. If they're important they can wait until the economy improves and for the Texas Legislature to address any funding deficits.

WHAT ABOUT CANDIDATES?

We generally follow the endorsements and recommendations of the Travis County Republican Party with some additions. The full list of endorsees and nominees at www.TravisCountyGOP.org/candidates. Feel free to discuss non-partisan races here on the unofficial Travis County Republicans Facebook group (note: these are not Travis GOP recommendations).

If there's an unopposed Democrat feel free to leave that race blank to protest the one-party monopoly in Travis County -- your ballot will not be thrown out. See you at the polls.