DALLAS – Texas voters approved $8.7 billion of local bond issues in the Nov. 3 election, bringing the total for the year to a record $12.6 billion, according to the latest tabulations.
Results indicate that nearly 96% of the $9.1 billion of bond proposals on the Nov. 3 ballot won passage, according to the Austin-based consulting firm Strategic Partnerships Inc.
On May 9, voters approved $3.9 billion or nearly 78% of the $5.4 billion on local ballots, according to SPI.
"Voters throughout the state were emphatic in their statement of intent last week, approving a great majority of bond propositions put forth by cities, counties and school districts," SPI said in its report. "Just five school districts, one county and one city saw bond propositions come away unsuccessful."
Among the largest winners were Harris County's $848 million of bond proposals, while Travis County's proposed $287 million bond request for a new civil courthouse was among the biggest losers.
All four Harris County propositions received support of at least 61% of voters, according to unofficial results. Harris County Commissioners Court will canvass the results at its Thursday, Nov. 12 meeting in Houston.
"The vote is a confirmation of what the people in the precinct have been saying, and that is that transportation, mobility and infrastructure are their priorities," Precinct 4 County Commissioner Jack Cagle said in a prepared statement after the election results were reported.
Proposition 1, which will provide $700 million in road projects countywide, received 73% approval. The proposal includes $60 million for the maintenance of aging infrastructure in older neighborhoods.
Harris County's unincorporated population has grown by 74% from since 2000, while county road miles grew by only 40% over that time, county officials said.
Proposition 2 will provide $60 million for parks and trails with each precinct in the county receiving $15 million, while Proposition 3 provides $24 million for the expansion of the county's animal shelter. Proposition 4 funds $64 million to the Harris County Flood Control District for flood mitigation projects. The bond referendums are going to be paid down over seven years and will not lead to a property tax rate increase, county officials said.
Travis County's civil courthouse proposal failed by about 1,000 votes out of 75,174 cast, officials said.
Austin City Council Member Don Zimmerman, who opposed the bonds under the banner of the Travis County Taxpayers Union, credited the proposal's defeat to last-minute intervention from the Real Estate Council of Austin. RECA's board approved a resolution in late October denouncing the plan to build the downtown Austin courthouse.
Among school districts, Dallas Independent School District emerged the biggest winner with $1.6 billion of bond authority.
In the Houston area, voters also approved $798 million for the Aldine ISD, $487 million for the Conroe ISD, and $245 million for the Alvin ISD. Voters in the San Antonio area approved $499.9 million for the North East ISD. Voters in the El Paso area approved $430 million for the Ysleta ISD. The Ysleta proposal was a second attempt after voters rejected a similar sized plan last year.
In suburban Dallas, voters approved $272.8 million for Allen ISD; $265.8 million for Rockwell ISD, $135 million for the Lewisville ISD, $125 million for the Mesquite ISD, and $109.5 million for the Willis ISD.
