Mesquite ISD outlines $600 million bond package, says 1¢ INS tax increase would average $1.42 a month for typical homeowner

Doctor Angel Rivera, superintendent of Mesquite Independent School District, told the Mesquite City Council on April 21 that the district will ask voters on May 3 to approve a $600 million bond package intended for new construction, capacity additions, safety and security upgrades, storm shelters and equipment replacement.

The proposal is split into two propositions: Proposition A, roughly $578.5 million, covering security enhancements, capacity additions (with emphasis on south-side growth), storm shelters and renovations across campuses; and Proposition B, $21.5 million, for district-wide technology infrastructure and equipment. Rivera said the bond would increase the district's interest-and-sinking (I&S) tax rate by one penny per $100 of taxable value, which he estimated would cost an average Mesquite homeowner about $1.42 per month after the homestead exemption.

Why it matters: Rivera framed the request as a response to sustained enrollment growth in parts of the district and substantial construction-cost inflation since the last bond in 2018. He said the district's facility needs were developed from a facility assessment and a 40-member community committee that…