DALLAS — Texas voters will be asked to approve about $6.6 billion of bonds on the November ballot, ranging from $3 million in the Crockett County Consolidated School District $1 billion in Austin to.
Aug. 18 was the final day to add bond proposals to the Nov. 4 ballot.
More than 50 governments, including cities, towns, villages, community colleges, a hospital district and more than 20 school districts are seeking voter approval of bonds.
Austin's $1 billion bond measure includes $600 million for an urban rail project and millions more mostly for highway and bridge projects.
In addition to the city's proposal, the Austin Community College District is seeking approval for $386 million of bonds for continued expansion of the rapidly growing system.
In 2013, the ACC board postponed a bond election with expectations that the turnout this year will be higher and improve the college's chances of winning approval. The ballot is longer this year and will include the governor's race, other statewide races and Austin City Council slots.
For outgoing Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell, the voters' verdict on the rail bonds could represent his top achievement or biggest failure.
Leffingwell has served as the chief advocate for the modern streetcar line that would link most of the city's top destinations. Amid turbulent economic and political times, the city has had to postpone previous attempts to win approval of the light rail line.
In the Houston area, the Katy and Fort Bend independent school districts will propose bond issues that are worth more than $1 billion combined.
On May 10, Texas voters approved nearly $6 billion of bonds, including about $5.5 billion for school districts.
