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Updated Tuesday, November 03, 2009 10:15 PM
Howe approves liquor sales, S&S CISD passes bond election
BY JONATHAN CANNON AND K. MCSTAY
HERALD DEMOCRAT
Voter results were mixed Tuesday in Fannin and Grayson counties as citizens went to the polls to decide on bonds, rollback elections and a public option on liquor sales in various places throughout Texoma.
S&S CISD
S&S Consolidated Independent School District voters gave the district a financial boost Tuesday.
Voters approved the $6.5 million bond 383 for and 296 against, which will, among other things, refurbish the elementary and middle school gyms adding air conditioning to both facilities.
"In tough economic times, I would say (the volunteers who helped with the election) did an outstanding job," said CISD Superintendent Robert Steeber. "The students of this district just had a great victory tonight."
Steeber said the board would likely be able to canvass the results by Wednesday pending a single provisional ballot that was cast.
In a previous interview, Steeber said the most of the money -- $4.3 million -- will go to improvements at the elementary. The district also plans to use $435,000 for refurbishment at the middle school and $1.3 million for improvements at the high school.
The passage will mean a 12.9 cents per $100 valuation tax increase until 2017, when it will drop by 9 cents per $100 valuation until the bond is repaid. Steeber said the drop in 2017 is thanks to the Qualified School Construction Bond Program, which provides low- to zero-interest bond financing to qualifying schools. The program is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and the district was approved for it early in October.
Gunter ISD
Gunter ISD passed a proposed tax ratification election Tuesday night, with 392 number of voters turning out, 74.9 percent of whom voted for the tax ratification.
In total, the district was asking its voters for a 3-cent tax increase. Though they were going for the full 13-cent increase in the Maintenance and Operation allowed by state law, thereby increasing state funding, the district was also able to lower their Interest and Sinking tax rate by 10 cents.
"We can maximize state funding," said GISD Superintendent Kevin Worthy. Previously, Worthy said the increase in funding would go to increase staff salaries and improve classroom technology in the district. Currently, he said, the district, which borders Celina, is having problems retaining teachers, as districts in Collin County have the ability to pay more. The increase, he said, would put Gunter toward the middle of the salary ranking.
"I'm very encouraged with the turn-out," Worthy said. "I really would like to thank the Gunter community for their support."
Howe
Citizens in Howe voted to pass a local option that would allow the legal sale of all alcoholic beverages including mixed drinks. After a petition circulated around the town and a request to the Grayson County Commissioner's Court, 250 people turned out, passing the option, 165 for versus 85 against.
Howe city officials could not be reached for comment.
Bonham ISD
Bonham ISD voters turned down a $40-million bond, 1,201 against to 521 for. In a previous interview, BISD Superintendent Sonny Cruse said the money would have helped realign some of the district's grade levels.
Finley-Oates Elementary would have housed kindergarten through fourth grade; I.W. Evans would have been home to fifth and sixth grades and share a space with L.H. Rather, which would have been the home of seventh and eighth grade.
Cruse said this realignment would have balanced the numbers more evenly among the campuses and the move of fifth and sixth graders is also necessary because of limited acreage on the Finley-Oates Elementary campus. The money would have also been used to create a number of new specialty classrooms, a gym and other renovations.
Cruse could not be reached for comment on the results.
Ector ISD
Ector ISD voters turned down a rollback election that would have generated an extra $200,000 per year. Voters voted 59 for to 89 against.
EISD Superintendent Gary Bohannon said the extra income would have been used to correct the $100,000 projected deficit for this year's budget and help rebuild a reserve.
In a previous interview, Bohannon said the district will continue with this year's set budget, and look for ways to make savings cut next year.
Bohannon declined to comment after the election, and said he would be meeting with the district's board before making any plans.
 Comments ... 23 found!
Howe and Liquor : 11/15/2009
It is time for a change- life is happening all around Howe and Howe stays the same except for the positive things. We we moved to Howe over 20 years agao all we heard about was the excellent schools and they WERE excellent. Now there is nothing not even a grocery store. No growth- What happened to the amazing Summit Hills addition with water parks we were promised? No one came. No one wants to live in a community that is not growing or moving on with the times. Change is good even in the form of liquor sales.
wanting better for Howe
Overtaxed mentally already : 11/15/2009
Let me tell the Bonhamites that spelling loose instead of lose is a common practice in your community. Quite possibly the reason you folks should have supported the bond is as plain as the Wallmarks in your town. How do you spell prosperity for Bonham? E-D-U-C-A- ehhhh? S-H-I-N? If you expect that thing have changed just drive to Bonham. When I driv to Bonham I get the feelang that somethen is happenininin insighed off my hedddd...it's allmost as eff I wuzz geetin sapped of my weell tew goe own..... Heck, if you people will move on up to the 18th "Sentry" i'll even donate twenty bucks. Think of the new slogan and everything..."Bonham We Are 18th Century Proud."
Toopid is as toopid..Whazzat kwishtin agin?
HOWE : 11/11/2009
What is the difference if they can drive to Sherman or VanAlstyne and give them the tax dollars or we can keep the tax dollars in our own town. Like when the gas station with Burger King and Subway tried to move in and the Howe people didn’t want the town to grow. I think we should let the other towns spend there tax dollars in our town. Also if you didn’t liquor to start with you should have voted.
Howe Resident
BISD : 11/10/2009
Overtaxed - Yeah, I know your type well too. Always critical of anyone ready to stick their neck out and serve in public office. Never offering any solutions and hung up on the past. Past bad decision making by ex-board members and administrators is not the fault of one student currently matriculated in BISD. Don't pretend to know me and my fifth generation Fannin County family. I can put my money where my mouth is and would have gladly paid your share of tax burden to have bought your vote, along with triple what mine would have gone up. I have been to school board meetings. 6 new trailer homes are being delivered across campuses next year to accomodate the students since YOUR VENOMOUS VOTE, victimized the students to which you offer no solution. Gloat all you want. I did not L-O-S-E,- the students did.
Good Steward
To: Good Steward : 11/10/2009
I'm sure you do have a lot of names - most people like you do and they don't mind using them when things don't go their way! I did not lose my job either - not sure where you pulled that one out - LEARN TO READ! As far as the "perpetuate failure" statement, are you serious? If you want to discuss perpetuating failure, go to the next school board meeting and ask them to spend money on science labs instead of new gym fixtures, football uniforms, and new desks for administrators. Also, both "losing" and "lose" only have one "o" in them so LEARN TO SPELL before you come on here spewing your venom! It will be OK soon though, your kids will graduate and you will never care about a bond school election again, I know your type well.
Overtaxed Already
Bonham ISD : 11/9/2009
Overtaxed already - name calling? Whoa! Don't get me started... I got a lot of names for someone who wants to perpetuate failure by enacting their misfortune on children. No child was responsible for you loosing your job. However, they will be better prepared to loose theirs some day now with the lack of science labs you awarded them. Congratulations.
Good Steward
Bonham ISD : 11/9/2009
It's funny how the nasty comments and name calling start when someone loses. Since the bond did not pass, those who voted against it are "selfish", "narrow-minded", "tax evaders", etc. You guys should seek positions in Obama's administration as you appear already trained on what to say when things don't go your way! This is NOT about being selfish, it's about being broke and taxed to death! People are sick and tired of it! If everyone of you whining on here lost YOUR job, you would NOT want to see your taxes go up several hundred dollars per year (or whatever it was - it changed with each article). The ages of the buildings have little to do with quality education and Bonham has been in the toilet both academically and athletically for years now. BTW - do NOT let your kids go to Harvard or Yale or anywhere like that. They have buildings well over 100 years old so there is no way you could get a decent education there!!
Overtaxed Already
Liquor=trash? : 11/8/2009
Let's face it, the only trash that'll be the liquor stores is the same trash that has always been in Howe. Please, this kind of thinking is so far fetched is not even funny.
You People Crack Me Up!!!
Gayle, TX : 11/6/2009
If you or any of the people you had talked to had gone to any of the open town hall type advertised meetings, you would have seen that you were getting close to the same square footage in new high school classrooms, science labs, and media rooms on the high school campus. Then the students would be better prepared for the taks test. The propsed resulting old half is now the old whole school with nothing else to offer the students thanks to you and your constituents short sited votes. You don't have the money to afford the tax increase. That is OK. But don't hide behind the coffee shop rumors. if you don't know the facts, then don't vote next time.
"Press" Release
Bonham ISD : 11/6/2009
Most of the people I talked to were not against a bond for improving the schools...they were just opposed to the specific plan for spending the money - and knew that that amount of money would be needed again soon for doing something about the high school. Most felt the high school should have priority at this time.
GayleTX
BISD BOND : 11/5/2009
The land on 82 was purchased when the school board was comprised of almost entirely different members, a different superintendent, and when athletics were given more attention than academics. Yeah, it was for too much, but if you sold it for 3 times the purchase price, it would not begin to remedy the lack of science labs and media rooms this bond would have provided. Making today's children do without because of decision making by people not even in charge is not standing up and speaking. It portrays the selfish tax evading nature of the obvious majority of this fading town. Now, despite inadequate facilities, the taks test scores managed to be decent this year. Do we talk about reviving the town? No we drudge up the coffee shop pointless debates such as land purchases and stadium bathrooms. If the district had built the bathrooms without the expensive lift station, Warham would have needed waders to wear instead of mocassins. 1201 nails in the coffin. Someone call Cooper Sorrells, Bonham just died.
We need a "Press" Release
BISD BOND : 11/5/2009
To those voting no... So short sited... Your tax burden just got worse. You voted for bad schools, which pretty much ruins any chances for industry to move in and lessen the tax burden. We'll just throw the kids in another trailer and teach 'em. Mr. Sam would be ashamed that this town has turned into a haven of greedy tax evaders. This will go down as the nails in the coffin for this town.
Disappointed productive parent who will be moving...
bisd bond : 11/4/2009
Let's take a look at what we have done. We have decided that the same old buildings are "good enough" and that no additional funding for our schools is needed. Perhaps we should have given voters 3 options. 160 million for 3 new schools, 40 million to fix what we have, or 0 just bus the kids out to Buste Cole beause thats where they are headed. There are no quality jobs, so why stay. Quality jobs start with quality schools. The CAVE people make me want to puke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sick and Tired
bonham isd bond election : 11/4/2009
We should have expected this outcome. Since the county is filled with welfare recipients and is used to getting something for nothing, what do we expect? Let's not have our property taxes raised for quality schools, no let's just muddle along in the "poor me" attitudes that are to be the death of this county. It would interesting to know the number people who voted against this who's taxes are frozen or pay no property tax at all. It sickens me to think we cannot invest in our schools. Maybe the residents of Collin, Grayson, and Lamar Counties are right when they say it would be less windy if we did'nt SUCK so much. If you think you taxes are soooo.... high, move to any part of our state and see the results. At the end YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. If you voted against this you have no room to complain about "Quality Schools". Yet another victory by the C.A.V.E. people. Citizens Against Vitually Everything. Shortsighted but not stupid. Stupid would have been even higher numbers.
Disappointed Bisd Grad
Howe : 11/4/2009
When was this petition submitted and approved for the citizens of Howe to vote on????? I knew nothing about this. I think there are a lot more residents who did not know that this was on the ballot.
?????
: 11/4/2009
If Howe citizens really are concerned with the result of this vote or even the future of the town - why did only 250 people turn out to vote?!? That is ridiculous!! Whether you were for or against the sale of alcohol, have a little pride in what is going on in your town and go vote. That is just sad - the sale of alcohol is not going to help, nothing is ... not until the citizens start acting like they care a little bit.
Have some pride
HOWE : 11/4/2009
Well I hate to tell you Concerned Citizen of Howe, but the thugs and trash are already here! I am ready for a grocery store to come to town because Dollar General just is not cutting it.
Howe Longtimer
Bonham Bond Election : 11/4/2009
Way to go Bonhamites! You had the chance to improve our schools, and you blew it! This town has no pride whatsoever. I guess if the schools that were here 40 years were good enough, the current ones are just as good. HOW NARROWMINDED!
Disgusted
Howe : 11/4/2009
By approving liquor sales Howe now had to potential for high revenue restraunt chains to open in Howe. A good grocery store can open now. And all sorts of good things. Concerned Citizen, don't be so concerned. Howe has trash even without a liquor store.
Howe Man
Howe : 11/4/2009
Now just watch all the thugs and trash that come to town. Hope ya'll are ready. Liquor stores bring some shady clientele with them...
concerned citizen
S&S bond : 11/4/2009
Guess the voters did decide and they knew what the kids really need. Way to go parents for saying yes to much needed improvements. Pat yourselves on the back.
S&S Parent
Howe : 11/4/2009
People of Howe, even if you were against it...you have FINALLY done something that will help bring revenue into the city...be VERY happy!!
Thank God
S&S Bond Election : 11/4/2009
Congrats to the students of S&S. Well deserved and not to mention needed!
S&S Mom
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