San Marcos CISD proposing more safety measures in $166M bond

Editor's Note: The above video is of KXAN's previous coverage of San Marcos CISD's propositions.

SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) - San Marcos CISD has four propositions on the ballot totaling $166 million.

• Proposition A: attendance credit election
• Proposition B: upgrades to all 12 campuses ($147,724,645)
• Proposition C: turf replacement ($984,563)
• Proposition D: district natatorium ($17,478,750)

Safety and security measures

San Marcos CISD Chief of Communications Andrew Fernandez said their Proposition B includes several new safety measures at all 12 of their campuses.

See election results after polls close at 7 p.m.

“We want to add cameras, we want to fix the cameras we currently have. We’re also wanting to have first responder communication testing,” Fernandez said. “So what that means is when first responders walk into our buildings, we want to make sure their radios work.”

Along with safety, the districts said it is tackling growth as well. Fernandez said enrollment took a dip during the pandemic at SMCISD, but it bounced back these past two years.

“We’re adding capacity to all three levels, elementary, middle school in high school, and we need that capacity growth to keep up with the enrollment increase that we’ve seen over the last few years,” said Fernandez.

SMCISD’s attendance credit election

Fernandez said Proposition A is a need and not a want for the district. It asks voters to allow the board of trustees to purchase attendance credits from the state with local tax revenue.

“Our property values have grown rapidly and our enrollment has not grown as quickly as our appraisals,” said Fernandez.

Fernandez said if this proposition does not pass, the state can come in and “detach property from San Marcos CISD.”

“We could actually lose the property value of Amazon, the outlets, HEB, the big companies in San Marcos,” Fernandez said.

Cost to taxpayer

Fernandez said if all four of SMCISD’s propositions pass, there would be a tax rate increase of one cent. It would make next school year’s rate $1.14.

“What that means for a taxpayer for $350,000 home is an annual increase of $31 and a monthly increase of $2.58,” Fernandez said. “The average home here in San Marcos is right around $380,000 to $390,000.”