Posted Date: 06/03/2020
November 8, 2017—Voters showed support for Amarillo ISD with the passage of a $100 million school bond on Tuesday.
“We are thankful for the trust and support of our community,” said AISD Board Vice President Scott Flow. “This victory will give the district a much-needed boost to address some of the maintenance issues that come with older facilities, as well as add an additional layer of safety and security measures at some of our schools.”
Amarillo ISD Trustees voted to call the bond election in August after spending months reviewing an extensive study of each of AISD’s 55 campuses. The district’s aging facilities have been a focus because nearly 80 percent of schools are more than 50 years old. The original list of needs was estimated at more than $300 million, but the Board decided to pare down the list to cover $100 million in priority projects. A Citizen’s Facilities/Bond Committee was then asked to further study campus conditions and make recommendations.
The 2017 bond package includes enhanced safety and security measures, classroom additions, facility updates across the district, and restoration and replacement of the infrastructure at many of the district’s older schools.
Over the last decade, the Board has worked to address needs by spending and committing more than $57 million from the general fund for projects. “It became clear we are at the point where what we have been doing is no longer enough,” Flow said. “We are grateful voters chose to support the district at an important time for the future of our aging school buildings. Their support will allow our teachers and school staff to focus on our most important work—the education of our students.”
With passage of the bond, the average home in Amarillo, valued at $121,000, will see an annual tax increase of $48.02, based on current market estimates. The property taxes for residents over 65 years of age are frozen and will not be affected by the bond.
For more information please visit our school bond information page.