Bond Ballot Shaping Up

Travis County commissioners are expected to vote Tuesday night to call a Nov. 8 election on a bond referendum totaling at least $194.3 million.

Commissioners last week approved projects lists for $120.4 million of road efforts and $73.9 million for county parks.

Additions to the road projects by commissioners raised the total price by $9.2 million from the list developed by a citizens committee. The parks proposal was not changed.

County Judge Sam Biscoe said he may ask commissioners to include a separate proposal for $20 million of bonds to acquire park land along the Pedernales River.

The November ballot will not include a proposal for up to $300 million of debt to build a new county civil courthouse in downtown Austin, Biscoe said.

Travis County voters approved $151 million of GO bonds in 2005, including $65.2 million for roads, $62.3 million for parks, and $23.5 million for jail facilities.

The county's $631 million of outstanding debt is rated triple-A by Moody's Investors Service and Standard & Poor's.

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Texas
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