La Feria ISD School Board Calls Bond Election

Election Day Saturday, May 7; Early Voting April 25-May 3

LA FERIA, TEXAS – At its January 11, 2016 board meeting, the La Feria ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously to call a $14 million bond election asking voters to consider a proposition that, if approved, would provide funding to modernize C.E. Vail Elementary, build an Ag Barn at La Feria High School, add security entry vestibules at each elementary school, and other items such as parking lots at campuses.

“We’re asking voters to tell us whether or not they want to invest in their community school buildings,” said Alan Moore, La Feria ISD School Board President. “The facilities condition report we commissioned from an independent engineering firm identifies significant structural and adequate space deficiencies at C.E. Vail Elementary as our highest priority. The report recommends demolition of several structures and repair and modernization to the remaining campus structures.”

Although the engineering report identified a lengthy list of facility repair or replacement needs across the district, Superintendent Rey Villarreal and the Board of Trustees exercised caution about tackling too much at this time. “It’s important to pace ourselves where facility improvements are concerned because we want to maximize the advantages offered to taxpayers by state funding assistance while minimizing any financial impact resulting from a bond election,” Villarreal said.

If approved, La Feria ISD homeowners would be responsible for approximately 30 percent ($4.2 million) of the bond and approximately 70 percent ($9.8 million) would be funded by the state. “Anything over $14 million would have to be funded entirely by local taxpayers and we’re just not going ask that of our community,” Villarreal said.

The tax rate impact on homeowners would be no more than 7.14 cents, or $2.38 per month on the average La Feria ISD home value of $65,000. NOTE: Senior Citizens 65 years of age or over will not experience a tax increase as a result of this bond election. The school tax rate and the assessed value are frozen when a taxpayer turns 65 years old.

“We have been studying our facilities and matching state funding programs for nearly two years,” said Board President Alan Moore. “We had a representative group of district staff, parents, and community members review the conditions of current facilities, space requirements, funding options, construction costs, tax impacts on homeowners, and a variety of scenarios to address the most pressing facilities challenges facing La Feria ISD. They brought a recommendation to the Board and we voted unanimously to call this $14 million bond election.”

For more information please read our Frequently Asked Questions posted at www.laferiaisd.org or call Mr. Villarreal, Superintendent, at 956-797-8300.