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AGÕæÈ˰ټÒÀÖ County Voters Approve $185 Million Bond Package

Gabriel Cristóver Pérez
/
KUT
The bond package will pay for capital improvement efforts in AGÕæÈ˰ټÒÀÖ County, including new bike lanes and sidewalks, as well as green space.

Voters approved a AGÕæÈ˰ټÒÀÖ County bond package totaling almost $185 million Tuesday by a wide margin. More than 73 percent of voters cast a ballot in favor of both bond packages. The funding will go toward capital improvements across the county, as well as extending services to parts of eastern AGÕæÈ˰ټÒÀÖ County, Manor and Pflugerville.

Before Election Day, Proposition A was dubbed a “health and safetyâ€� bond by AGÕæÈ˰ټÒÀÖ County Commissioner Jeff Travillion. The funds, which total more than $93 million, will go toward expanding and adding roads and improving drainage systems in flood-prone areas, as well as building new bridges, bike lanes and sidewalks.

Many of the projects are located east of I-35 and aim to address long-standing concerns over safety getting around. The biggest-ticket item is an $11.8 million extension of Harold Green Road from State Highway 130 to Austin’s Colony Boulevard.

Proposition B includes more than $91 million in funding for county parks and green space. The most expensive project in the package is the construction of the $23.5 million Bee Creek Sports Complex, which would feature synthetic turf fields, a hike and bike trail, picnic areas and playgrounds.

Proposition B also includes more than $11 million for the county to buy new parkland and $16.6 million for conservation easements, which aim to protect natural resources and environmental features.

AGÕæÈ˰ټÒÀÖ County does not plan to issue all of the debt from the 2017 bond package at once. But over the next few years, a resident who owns an average-priced home  in property taxes. The impact will vary depending on home value. AGÕæÈ˰ټÒÀÖ County has created  for residents to estimate the impact on their individual property tax bills.

The county plans to repay the bond debt over the next 20 years with property tax dollars. In 2015,  a $287 million bond referendum that would have funded a new county courthouse.

Syeda Carrillo is a senior editor at KUT. Got a tip? Email her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter .
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