MIDLAND, Texas — Midland ISD took another step forward Tuesday night in its journey of putting together a bond package. After meeting one more time on Monday night, the bond planning committee made its final recommendation Tuesday night in front of the MISD board of trustees.
Following recent work on the bond proposal, the board of trustees voted 6-1 to call for a bond election in November. After months of work for MISD's future by the long-range planning committee and bond committee, the fate of the district now lies in the hands of the voters.
The MISD bond package is now on the ballot, with the final proposal landing as a single proposition north of $1.4 billion.
“That would include two comprehensive high schools, middle school improvements, safety, security and accessibility, improvements of aging facilities and a new elementary school," said Josh Ham, a member of the bond committee who made the final presentation to the board.
Ham says that massive price tag will be made easier by a tax compression passed by the state legislature.
“The overall rate stays at $0.91 or thereabout, so the net effect on the Midlander is that you pay the same tax rate or close to what you’re paying now and you get the benefit of a bond passage of $1.4 billion-plus, new schools, new facilities," Ham said.
The bond includes new safety measures as well.
“Controlled access points, the school – particularly like Midland High, I know because my kids go there, lots of access points – the bond will address that, not just in Midland High, but everywhere so that there is alarms, cameras, and controlled access will be much better and much safer," Ham said.
Now on the ballot and up to the community.
“It’s super exciting for Midland," Ham said. "I hope everyone is really excited, we need it desperately bad. I mean every Midlander should be thrilled that we are where we are right now.”
Ham added that this is a bond that will affect all four corners of Midland. He also mentioned that with expected growth and existing capacity issues that this bond would give the district an opportunity to grow into those new facilities.