 La
Vega ISD
Facilities
issues
La Vega
is an average growth district (usually 2% per year), and our “new” (20 years
old) high school is now overcrowded. We refer to it as new because
the other campuses in the district are now 41, 47, 49 and 77 years
old. Though they are all in use and well maintained, roof, air quality
and security problems necessitate major imminent expenses. The time
has come to replace our aging facilities. In 1999, we held the
first bond election in our district since the high school was built.
The $8.75 million in bonds passed overwhelmingly. Using Instructional
Facilities Allotment (IFA) funds to help match our effort, we were able to
build
a new junior high without a tax increase.
The next bond issue,
for $16 million, was passed by a two-to-one margin in 2003. This
bond will provide money to finish building a new elementary school,
build
a new primary school, add a wing on the intermediate school and expand the
core facilities on the existing high school. Every campus in the district
will
be
upgraded in some fashion under this bond program.
Because the state decreased
the IFA money this biennium, we knew we would not be eligible for
IFA funding. Instead, we hope to benefit from Existing
Debt
Allotment (EDA). Under this program, the district must make the initial
payment and then
it qualifies, based on available funds, for matching funds from the state.
This year we are making our payment without outside assistance. Our tax
rate went
from $1.54 to $1.72 – a 19-cent increase. We are hoping that the
Legislature will authorize the funds to allow us to participate in the
EDA program next year
and reduce our tax rate.
Unfortunately, most of
the talk about facilities during the last Special Session on School
Finance centered on wasteful spending on facilities,
Taj Mahal campuses
and opulent football stadiums. Little mention was made about the need
to keep classrooms up-to-date, uncrowded and safe. In La Vega ISD,
we are
not building
Taj Mahals. We are simply making sure our students have well-maintained,
safe and adequate learning environments.
Regardless of the final
outcome of school finance reform, Texas must make sure it provides
adequate classroom facilities in which its children
can
learn. |
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