GEORGETOWN, Texas — Voters in Central Texas are being asked to address the growing need for more schools.
Georgetown is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, with residents like Renee Overbeck drawn to its charm. She moved to Central Texas recently from Dallas.
"I just feel like this is just a good balance of a kind of a slow-paced life but also a little bit of the convenience of the city as well," Overbeck said. "It's a really good, balanced city."
But the city's growth is impacting Georgetown ISD. One demographic study reported the district is anticipating to grow by 6,000 students in the next decade. Superintendent Devin Padavil said that needs to be accommodated.
"In the next two years, we're going to have six schools over capacity," Padavil said. "And, in fact, two of those schools are over capacity right now. So we have to be able to have the buildings to accommodate the growth."
This spring, the school district will ask voters to approve a nearly $650 million bond that addresses growth, aging facilities, performing arts, technology, the arts and sports. The bond will appear on the ballot as four separate propositions.
Some of what is being proposed includes a new comprehensive high school, middle and elementary school, along with renovating the old Benold Middle School campus into a new Frost Elementary School. Altogether, this will serve almost 5,000 students.
So, how will this affect taxpayers?
"For the average taxpayer, it can be anywhere between a 0 cent tax rate increase and a 1 cent tax rate increase, depending on all four propositions passing," Padavil said. "And a 1 cent tax rate increase would be the equivalent of $2.77 a month or about $33 over the year in annual taxes."
Longtime Georgetown resident Thomas Delleney understands the district's ask.
"As long as they spend it wisely, I have no problem," Delleney said. "They start wasting, and I'll start voting against them."
Padavil said he's asking voters to consider the students' future amidst growing pains for a growing school district and city.
"I'm concerned that if schools aren't built in the next two to three years, how overpopulated our schools can get," Padavil said. "And what that's going to do to the experience kids have in our schools."
Early voting starts on April 22 with Election Day on May 4.
Boomtown is KVUE's series covering the explosive growth in Central Texas. For more Boomtown stories, head to KVUE.com/Boomtown.