SAN ANTONIO – Taxpayers in the Somerset Independent School District approved a $20 million bond to help pay for security upgrades and to build a new fine arts center.
Superintendent Dr. Saul Hinojosa said the fine arts center has been in the plans for nearly 10 years.
The $3 million in security upgrades include security cameras and adding a new system to the front door of every campus that will require people to be buzzed in.
Hinojosa said the current local property tax rate is the lowest in Bexar County, but homeowners will see an increase with the new bond.
Taxes will increase by four cents per $100 in value in the first year. Taxpayers will see an additional 16-cent increase in the second year.
The rate would decrease by 15 cents in the remaining years, according to Hinojosa. Taxpayers should see the increase in their October 2020 property tax bill.
Hinojosa said that, because the district is in an economically disadvantaged designation, the state will pay 65% of the $20 million bond, leaving local property owners to pay the remaining 35%.
The district has about 4,200 students enrolled.
The fine arts center will be built next to the high school.
“We have a bunch of talented students in our district, and it’s well deserved. They’re going to have a facility to showcase their talents,” Hinojosa said.
Hinojosa said he hopes the new center will double the size of its current largest auditorium, from 400 seats to about 800 to 1,000 seats.
Security upgrades will begin next summer. Construction on the new fine arts center should be complete by the 2021-2022 school year.