Voters in Harris County rejected nearly $2 billion in proposed school bonds across six independent school districts on Tuesday night. The bond measures were meant to pay for facility improvements, renovations and other capital projects.
The largest proposal came from Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, which asked voters for $1.6 billion. The other districts with failed measures were Channelview ISD, Crosby ISD, Huffman ISD, La Porte ISD and Spring ISD. Voters rejected bond proposals or tax increases in all six districts.
Bond elections expert Steven David said the results reflect growing concerns about the financial effect of higher taxes on families. He said that whether a person rents or owns a home, bond taxes are passed on to them. David also said the districts will not be able to spend capital dollars on facility improvements. He added that some districts could be forced to keep using temporary classroom buildings.