Editor’s note: This story has been updated to show early results and will be updated again when final results are in.
Two propositions that would have increased the Viridian Municipal Management District’s ability to issue bonds for improvements to that community were failing, according to unofficial early voting results Tuesday night.
Some residents said a recent tax increase and rising homeowners association fees led many to oppose the bond package.
“We’re overwhelmed, and anything that looks like it’s going to cause us long-term impact on our dollars, it’s a very difficult decision to make,” resident Alisa Franklin, 38, said.
The bond election was floated in January after Viridian’s developer requested that the municipal management district increase its bond capacity, according to the district’s meeting minutes.
Proposals to do so were split into two propositions.
Proposition A asked voters to authorize the district to issue bonds totaling more than $50 million for Viridian’s water, sanitary sewer and drainage, and storm sewer systems.
Proposition B asked voters to authorize the district to issue bonds totaling more than $57 million for the repair, purchase, construction and maintenance of roads both inside and outside of Viridian.
The two propositions would not have increased the taxes of Viridian homeowners.
About 57% of early voters rejected Proposition A, while nearly 60% rejected Proposition B, according to the early returns.
One of the larger issues for the wider community with the propositions was the amount of money that the district hoped to allocate, Franklin said.
“That number took everyone by surprise,” Franklin said.
The district still has the capacity to issue bonds for Viridian’s roads and water systems, though it is much smaller without the propositions.
The district has about $4.8 million in bonds for water systems it can issue and $42 million in bonds for roads it can issue from a 2008 election, according to the district’s election notice.
H-E-B ISD tax increase and Texas Senate District 9
While in Arlington, Viridian residents live within the Hurst-Euless-Bedford school district.
A 3-cent tax rate increase for HEB schools was gaining approval with 52% of early voters supporting the increase, according to unofficial early voting. For more information on that election and its results, click here.
Texas Senate District 9, which includes parts of Arlington, was on pace to hit a Dec. 3 runoff between Democrat Taylor Rehmet and Republican Leigh Wambsganss, according to the early returns. The special election was called after Kelly Hancock left the seat to work as the acting state comptroller. For more information on that election and its results, click here.
Chris Moss is a reporting fellow for the Arlington Report. Contact him at chris.moss@fortworthreport.org.
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