Bond ’23: Essential Information
Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD voters to decide four school bond propositions on November 7
Voters who live within Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD will have the opportunity to decide a multi-proposition school bond proposal in November.
The school district’s board of trustees voted unanimously in August to call an election for Nov. 7 that is projected to address enrollment growth and capital improvements for the district for an estimated seven years. During that time, EMS ISD is expected to grow by 4,765 new students.
The bond proposal is based on the recommendation of a Long-Range Facility Planning Committee, which is composed of citizens, parents, and educators representing a cross-section of the EMS ISD community within each of the district’s high school feeder zones. A total of 55 committee members actively participated in the planning process over the course of eight months.
“We learned through this process just how significant the enrollment growth is in our schools and community and what it takes to support that growth with quality programs and facilities,” said Paula Harwell, a parent and volunteer in the district and one of three co-chairs of the Facility Planning Committee.
“We reviewed a variety of detailed facts and figures, went on field trips, worked in subcommittee groups on specific topic areas, and came together at the end in consensus to recommend a bond proposal for the Board to consider that we believe reflects our priority to support all students,” Harwell continued.
After a proposed May 2022 bond election for $275 million was not approved by voters, the district launched a Listen & Learn campaign to better understand the priorities of the community. Three different facility-focused surveys were offered to voters and community members from May 2022 to August 2023.
Based on that survey feedback from EMS families and community members, along with their research during the committee process, the Facility Planning Committee unanimously recommended, and the Board called, a multi-proposition bond package that will give voters the opportunity to cast a vote for or against four separate propositions totaling $659.1 million. The November 2023 bond package addresses growth, safety and security, upkeep of aging facilities and systems, and standardization and facility equity.
“On behalf of the Board, I want to thank all members of the Facility Planning Committee for their dedication and commitment to the district,” said Paige Ring, President of the Board of Trustees. “It is clear from their recommendation that they spent many hours researching and analyzing a large volume and variety of information to determine their recommended priorities, encompassing all schools and all students across the district. We are confident they have brought us a solid plan, and we are pleased to be able to bring this proposal to our voters in November.”
To be eligible to participate in the November 2023 EMS ISD bond election, you must be a resident of the district and be registered to vote by Tuesday, October 10. Click here to register to vote. Early voting is available at any Tarrant County voting location from Oct. 23-Nov. 3. Election Day voting is Nov. 7.
Additional information, including details for each proposition, is available on the 2023 Bond Proposal webpage. Please check back often as new information is added.
Proposition A – General $540.9 million
Facilities, safety and security, aging systems, standardization and equity, and land. If approved, the first project in this proposition would be the replacement of Wayside Middle School, with work beginning in spring 2024. Other capital improvements include the replacement of Saginaw Elementary School, a new middle school (#7), and new
elementary school (#19), an addition to Watson High School, and a new Agriculture Sciences Building for students in the Agriculture Food & Natural Resources program of study with the district’s Career and Technical Education division.
In addition to the new schools, safety and security projects include playground improvements at 16 campuses, additional security cameras, secondary vestibule buzz-in systems, fencing, and equipment for the district’s new police department. Improvements and maintenance for aging facilities and operational systems are also addressed as is the purchase of land for future school sites.
Proposition B – Technology $20.2 million
This proposition includes the purchase of instructional devices for students and staff, and network infrastructure equipment and the associated support to accommodate for the technology load of enrollment growth. Bonds within this proposition that may have shorter life spans than capital improvement projects will be matched with the life of the asset.
Proposition C – Saginaw High School Athletic Improvements $47 million
Pertains to the renovations and additions to the Saginaw High School Athletics areas including a new indoor multi-purpose facility and expanded locker rooms, weight room, training room, and team room. These areas are the smallest across all the district’s high schools and have not been renovated since the school opened in 2005. No renovations or additions to the stadium or outdoor fields are proposed.
Proposition D – Natatorium $51 million
This would provide a district-owned swimming facility to support all district water sports and provide community programming including learn-to-swim and drown-prevention programs, health and fitness classes, water safety programs, and special events in association with a community management partner.
Tax Impact
If voters approve all four propositions, EMS ISD homeowners can expect an increase of $.0010, or one-tenth of a penny, in the local tax rate on a primary homestead. This equates to less than $3 a year on the average 2023 primary homestead residence.
Also on the November ballot will be a constitutional amendment that, if approved, will increase the primary homestead exemption from $40,000 to $100,000 and provide property tax relief to taxpayers across the
state. If the amendment passes, the tax impact to EMS ISD residents from the proposed 2023 bond package would remain under $3 a year under current values and, in most cases, would be less than the tax savings received from the primary homestead increase, which is estimated to be between $500-$700 annually.
