Members of a committee evaluating Travis County’s proposed $638 million wish-list of bond projects have reduced the cost to $200 million as they work their way to the target of $150 million set by county finance officials.
Voters could be asked to approve a general obligation bond proposal in November.
Carolyn Vogel, vice chairwoman of the 15-member citizens bond advisory committee, told county commissioners last week that tough decisions have to be made in paring the list of bond-financed projects.
“The tough part of this is looking at the needs in the county and scaling it [down] to $150 million,” Vogel said.
The final proposal is expected to include $50 million for infrastructure projects to serve large residential developments outside Austin, $44 million of road and street projects, and $35 million for parkland acquisitions.
Commissioners are expected to determine the final project list and set the election at a meeting next month.
County Judge Sam Biscoe said last week that a request for up to $300 million of general obligation bonds for a 17-story civil courthouse in downtown Austin would not be on the November ballot as originally proposed.
He said the county has received 21 submissions to its request for a private-public partnership to develop the new courthouse. Deadline for submissions is July 24.
Travis County’s $631 million of outstanding debt is rated triple-A by Moody’s Investors Service and Standard & Poor’s.
