Texas Watchdog has a couple items on the assortment of bonds that will be on the ballot in the upcoming election. The first takes a critical look at the one that will be on our ballot, the one asking AISD voters to approve over $250 million in spending on several new campuses.
- Small town wants to build 5 of the costliest schools in Texas history. The author takes issue with the amount of money spent on school construction in the state. He also points to a potentially cozy relationship between something called the Fast School Growth Coalition - which hopes to eliminate caps on property taxes - and the Texas House Public Education Committee. It seems that the daughter of the chair of the committee lobbies for the group.
- Light turnouts, low information hike local debt in Texas. Here the author looks at the dynamic of bond elections and points out that many pass - he claims a 75% passage rate - largely because proponents of the bonds are able to take advantage of low turnout and low information and persuade a sufficient number of voters that the expenditures are in the best interests of their communities. He also points out that while the governing entities that are proposing the bonds cannot advertise for them, the interest groups that will benefit from them can and do.
The author also points to a handy page on the comptroller's website that lists all of the bonds on the various ballots throughout the state this November.
- Texas Transparency: Upcoming Bond Election Roundup.
