All but one school bonds pass for four local districts in May 6 election

Get more election news, results on KSAT’s Vote 2023 page.

In a time when inflation and increased property tax has paychecks stretched thin, it could have been a hard ask to have taxpayers approve measures that could increase their taxes even more.

Still, voters on Saturday passed all but one of the bond measures for local school districts.

Alamo Heights ISD, Comal ISD, Southwest ISD and Medina Valley ISD all got voter approval to move forward on big district initiatives. However, Comal ISD voters did reject one of three bond proposals.

Funding for the bonds comes from property taxes, but because of the increase in property appraisals, that increase for the school district portion may already be covered.

Related: How are school bond projects paid for? KSAT Explains

Here’s what passed in each district:

Alamo Heights

All three of the ballot propositions for the district’s $371 million bond referendum passed easily.

• 69% of voters voted for Proposition A which includes updates and renovations to all campuses, technology infrastructure improvements, safety and security, and new school buses. The bond will also pay for a new Howard Early Childhood Center building, a new Central Office/Learning Center, and a softball field in addition to parking and traffic flow improvements.

• 58% of voters voted for Proposition B which will fund the creation of extracurricular team and meeting spaces for AH students and community members underneath a rebuilt visitor bleacher at Orem Stadium. The improvements would include additional parking and dedicated training facilities for the first time for the AH golf team, as well as new restrooms, concessions, locker rooms, and student Sports Media program equipment.

• 67% of voters voted for Proposition C which will fund technology including student and staff devices.

Comal ISD

Voters passed two of the three propositions in Comal ISD’s bond referendum totaling more than a half-billon dollars.

• 55% of voters voted in favor of Proposition A totaling $560,564,863. This money will be used to build three new elementary schools and a middle school to provide relief to the fast-growing district. Proposition A will also fund a new Life Bridges campus, a program designed to educate young adults with disabilities to increase independence in family and community settings. More than $17 million of the proposition will fund safety and security projects throughout the district.

• 59% voted against Proposition B totaling $46,094,984. This proposition is focused on stadium safety improvements at Canyon Lake High School and a bleacher expansion and fieldhouse at Davenport High School.

• 53% of voters passed Proposition C totaling $28,000,000. Proposition C will fund the purchase of student learning devices, classroom audiovisual equipment, Wi-Fi expansion, and Wide Area Network (WAN) infrastructure across the district.

Medina Valley ISD

A year after voters soundly rejected a nearly $400 million bond package, Medina Valley ISD voters easily passed the $376 million bond on the May 6 ballot with 63% of voter approval. The district said the bond was needed to help keep up with exploding enrollment in an area that extends from Medina County into a small portion of Bexar County.

• New High School - $323M
• Land Purchases - $30M
• Agricultural & JROTC Facility at Medina Valley HS - $14M
• Safety & Security Enhancements - $5M
• Traffic Improvements - $4M

Southwest ISD

Voters in the Southwest Independent School District are considering a pair of bond packages worth nearly as much as the district’s last three combined. District officials estimated the bond would cost the average tax payer in the district about $15 more a year.

The two bond propositions on the May 6 ballot total $250 million and would include money for the following:

• Safety upgrades to all of its campuses
• New schools and additions to cope with an expected flood of new students
• Renovations to other campuses
• A high school athletic stadium
• The purchase of air-conditioned buses
• A combined professional development, student center, and central offices building

Proposition A passed with 71% of voters voting for the measure.

Proposition B passed with 68% voting for the measure.

SWISD’s election was not handled by Bexar County so voters had to go specifically to one of the district’s polling locations to vote.

See the full ballot results here.