San Marcos May Ballot Features Dual Bonds In Face Of Continuing Debt

Update: Corridor News originally reported the SMCISD bonds were $209.3 million. However, this amount was incorrect. An additional number was provided to Corridor News by the school district, which was mistakenly added to the actual bond amount. The correct figure is $107.3 million.

Two different bond packages face hurdles at the upcoming May bond election in San Marcos by adding to the city’s and San Marcos CISD’s outstanding debt.

By Cristina Carreon

The City Council and San Marcos school board discussed the bonds at the Government Affairs City and School Bond Luncheon in The San Marcos Activity Center, on Thursday.

San Marcos City Council approved a $32.2 million bond on Feb. 15 for a library expansion and public safety facilities. On Feb. 13, the SMCISD school board of trustees approved a bond of $107.3 million for the may election, which will cover improvements to several school campuses, a transportation center and energy management systems.

The city of San Marcos has not put forth a bond election in ten years but has issued certificates of obligation not approved by voters and committed $33,560,000 in debt since the 2009 bond series.

The certificates tackled improvements to CM Allen Parkway, Hopkins Street, Children’s Park, and the Hays-Caldwell Public Utility Agency, which aimed to provide water to San Marcos, Kyle and Buda through connected pipelines.

The city also issued $4.3 million to the agency, which did not require voter approval and subverted taxes through a certificate of obligation. However, the last couple of years city council has increased utility fees.

City of San Marcos Director of Finance Heather Hurlbert said the city bonds would increase taxes by 8.37 cents per $100, or a $125 increase added to the average home value of $150,000.

Hurlbert said the city assessed the state of facilities through an outside study conducted last year and formed the Community Improvement Program Task Force to determine what maintenance was needed.

“In 2015, the committee identified facilities as the number one fiscal goal,” Hurlbert said.

The part of the public safety bond pertaining to the San Marcos Police Department would improve technology at the 911 Center, provide new equipment and offices, and go towards a new evidence room.

Hurlbert said the police department’s offices currently housed next to the IH-35 corridor are insufficient.

The fire station improvements would include the building of a new station east of IH-35 in an area with limited fire protection.

“Seventy percent of areas serviced are over capacity because they share with downtown. Moving it further out will provide better coverage and better response time,” Hurlbert said.

The bond would also go toward the construction of a new fire training field; firefighters currently use parking lots for various training activities.

“There will be different types of training as well at the new facility,” Hurlbert said.

The library portion of the city’s proposed bond would add 29,000 square feet to the San Marcos Library.

“When the library was built, it housed 150,000 items. It currently houses 163,500 items, which there is not enough room for.” Hurlbert said. “This will create additional space for special events currently held in the middle of the library.”

The San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District will also place a $107.3 million bond on the May ballot.

SMCISD Superintendent Michael A. Cardona said the school bond would cover renovations and additions to the infrastructure of the city’s elementary campuses, two middle schools and San Marcos High School; it would also allow technology improvements in fiber optics and hardware.

“Our mobility-impaired student population is increasing and these students need a bigger space,” Cardona said.

The school district’s student population is projected to increase by 250 students per year. According to Cardona, SMCISD has 8,088 students enrolled, and current classrooms are not designed for the demand or with special needs students in mind. 

The district’s bond propositions would design classrooms to encourage students to learn more actively through flexible space and greater mobility.

“We feel like we have to be a workforce, career, college and military center,” he said. “Our pathway programs take classrooms away from the basic academic classes. We want to build facilities to get better alignment for our kids to graduate.”

Cardona said the proposed transportation center, a storage facility for school buses in eastern San Marcos, would mitigate traffic caused by the Amazon Fulfillment Center.

Two bond refunds, two defeasances and refinancing bond debt would prevent a tax rate increase from the school bond, according to Cardona.

“Refinance rates are flexible,” said Cardona. “In the next 6-8 years, the tax rate should be same more or less.”