AGUA DULCE, Texas — Agua Dulce voters will decide Saturday, May 3, on a $15 million school bond to renovate the 43-year-old elementary school and update facilities with aging infrastructure.
Jimmy Padilla, Agua Dulce ISD Superintendent, showed KRIS 6 News around the district and where renovations are needed. He explains the last time the district had a bond was in 2015 and right now they are focusing on certain areas.
“The priorities for our bond is one, to update our 43-year-old elementary,” Padilla said. “Add some classrooms to it as well and then we're gonna do a couple more updates as well to our field house, to our ag shop, to some of our facilities that are that are just, you know, we're having issues roofing.”
Agua Dulce ISD SEMS Clerk, Armadina Garcia, said that some of the equipment hasn't been updated since the 60s.
Agua Dulce Elementary was built in the 1980s, and the principal, Nora T. Lopez, said the enrollment is growing.
One of the last 2015 bond projects was updating their school cafeteria, which got a lot of positive feedback.
“Not only was the student's reaction just like in awe, and they loved it,” Lopez said. “But also the community embraced it because now we can have banquets in the cafeteria.”
Lopez said they are now able to do mother-son and father-daughter dances which has given the district an opportunity to expand themselves for students. She adds that if the bond issues passes its not just a yes for students, but for the community as well.
Neighborhood News Reporter Stephanie Molina talked to the Agua Dulce community on what they thought about Proposition A on the ballot.
“This is a great bond and I would encourage everybody to go and vote yes because this will benefit our students and our athletes,” Cristina Perez, Agua Dulce community member, said.
“I'll support the school 100%,” Allan Ray Schulte, Agua Dulce community member, said. “I just feel like it's necessary that our youngsters get a good education.”
“This bond will really help out everyone in community and the tax is not going to increase that much.” John Howard, Agua Dulce Mayor, said.
The following is a breakdown of what Agua Dulce taxpayers can expect if they were to go forward with the bond, according to Agua Dulce ISD.
“New Tax Rate Impact: Taxes @ $1.22 (New Tax Rate)
- $100,000 Or Less = $0 Increase
- $125,000 = $57 Increase
- $150,000 = $115 Increase
- $175,000 = $172 Increase
*Homeowners 65+ Will Not See A Tax Increase*Homestead Exemption Pending Legislative Approval To Be Raised To $140,000.”
“We're not gonna be wasteful with the money,” Padilla said. “We're gonna be intentional with it and we're gonna try to make it so that you know our facilities are conducive to learning and it's what kids need and what we need for the district at this point in time.”
Voting in Agua Dulce starts at 7am and ends at 7pm. Voting will take place at the school district’s administration building located at One Longhorn Drive, Agua Dulce, TX 78330.
