GISD community bond meetings continue

With less than a month away from the Gonzales ISD bond election, the school district continues to hold community meetings explaining the bond proposal.

The latest community bond was held at Victoria College-Gonzales campus Monday, Sept. 18, and school officials and community leaders were in attendance.

“We're here to just provide the facts to you, and answer any or all questions that you have for us. I love Gonzales. My family loves it here, we've had a great time thus far love the town. But I also know that Gonzales talks a lot,” GISD Superintendent Dr. Elmer Avellaneda said.

“I want to make sure that we get the facts to as many people as possible in the community. So please, please, please, any question that you have, please ask,” Avellaneda added.

Avellaneda went over the two bonds that Gonzales residents will be voting on in the Nov. 7 election: Proposition A includes education facilities (new Agricultural and Career Tech Education buildings), renovations, accessibility safety and security, and Proposition B includes a new athletic complex.

Prop A is for $50,600,000 and Prop B is for $44,480,000 and combined is over $95 million; and for more detail of the propositions, go to (https://www.gonzalesisd.net/Page/4820).

One of the items that was talked about was the homestead exemption, and GISD Chief Financial Officer Amanda Smith said that for residents that are 65 years or older or disabled, the school tax will hit a ceiling and they will never pay more in school taxes.

“This is not universal across all taxing entities; the school district and I believe the county both have tax ceilings, so your school taxes are frozen once you hit 65,” Smith said.

Smith added the district has looked at a few resident’s tax bills that they pulled from their database and confirm ed it is a true statement.

“Now the total tax bill may change because you have the city, you have EMS, you have fire, you have the hospital and there are no tax ceilings for those entitie,” Smith said. “So, in total, your tax bill may continue to climb, but if you look at the line that has been Gonzales ISD taxes, that will be frozen. And that does automatically take effect when you turn 65. You don't have to file any paperwork to claim that.”

The school district has the homestead exemption form at the bottom of the GISD Bond website to download and print for those 65 and older, (https://www.gonzalesisd.net/Page/4816).

The last day to register to vote is Tuesday, Oct. 10 and early voting begins Monday, Oct. 23. The school district provided two links for voter registration (https://vrapp.sos.state.tx.us/index.asp) and voter registration status (https://teamrv-mvp.sos.texas.gov/MVP/mvp.do).

For more information of the GISD Bond, please go to https://www.gonzalesisd.net/Page/4815.