Progress staff reports
Jacksonville Daily Progress
JACKSONVILLE —
Jacksonville Independent School District board members voted to call a bond election this month and now face relaying the importance of a $49.865 million bond program to taxpayers faced with the possibility of a 19 cent per $100 valuation tax increase.
School records indicate this will be the fifth bond election since 1997.
School officials hope this will be the second successful one.
The district’s first bond election, held Nov. 22, 1997, asked for $11 million at an eight cent per $100 valuation tax increase.
This went toward a new elementary school, various upgrades to the current campuses and extensive renovations for Jacksonville Intermediate School.
These renovations included 11 new classrooms and a larger cafeteria and library.
According to records, this passed 911-454.
However, the school district wasn’t nearly as successful eight years later.
On Sept. 17, 2005, the district wanted $40 million and $22.5 million for a two-phase program set to charge taxpayers another 33 cents per $100 valuation.
With three new elementary campuses, an addition to Nichols Intermediate School, renovations for Jacksonville High School and improvements to the district’s technology infrastructure, Phase One would’ve been funded by the tax increase.
Phase Two of this unsuccessful bond election was to be initiated only if the school proved able to secure state assistance.
It would’ve provided renovations to Jacksonville Middle and High schools, a relocation for the Compass Center and improvements to transportation and food service facilities.
It failed 542-2,243.
Another bond election, this one on Nov. 7, 2006, featured two propositions.
The first was for the issuance of $14.5 million of bonds for Jacksonville ISD, including a new elementary school and middle school improvements.
This involved a tax increase of 9.8 cents per $100 valuation.
The second, at $12.5 million, featured a second new elementary school and a tax increase of nine cents per $100 valuation
This second proposition could not be acted upon without the first also passing.
Proposition one failed 2,400-2,750.
Proposition two failed with a larger gap; 2,161-2,848.
The proposition one school would have replaced Joe Wright Elementary School, while the second proposition, if passed, would have replaced East Side Elementary School.
JISD’s most recent attempt occurred Nov. 6, 2007, and had the narrowest margin in recent JISD bond election memory.
At 1,191 for and 1,340 against, the proposition for the issuance of $19 million of bonds for the district to include a new elementary school and a tax increase of 17.5 cents per $100 valuation failed.
District Superintendent Dr. Joe Wardell said he believes the main issue will be properly conveying all the information to the voters.
“I think the public really supports the schools when they understand the needs,” Wardell said. “The biggest key is making sure the voters have all the information and letting them make informed choices.”
He also said anyone wanting more information on the bond issue scheduled for a vote in November is welcome to contact him or other school officials by calling the school administration office at 903-586-6511.
