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Old 10-26-2017, 08:35 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
12,059 posts, read 13,890,870 times
Reputation: 7257

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So, a $287 million bond was rejected and in its place we get a beautiful art deco courthouse from the Feds for free. It works itself out when you don't tax yourself to death...

Yes, there will be about $17 million in repairs to retrofit but it is substantially cheaper than the original boondoggle:

https://communityimpact.com/austin/s...cquired-today/

The lesson is to think before you vote on bonds. It's never the "only" solution. There are always better solutions...

The reason I bring this up is there are bonds on the menu yet again. It's a meal that will not go down well I should say...
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Old 10-26-2017, 08:53 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
15,269 posts, read 35,637,527 times
Reputation: 8617
Problem is, if we don't use bonds, we will basically pay double for anything in taxes due to Robin Hood....

Oh, the Fed money isn't 'Free', is was our tax money that was not spent on something else.
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Old 10-26-2017, 09:23 PM
 
Location: Central Texas
20,958 posts, read 45,404,950 times
Reputation: 24745
That article is from Dec. 29 of last year.
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Old 10-27-2017, 07:41 AM
 
2,602 posts, read 2,980,690 times
Reputation: 997
Quote:
Originally Posted by cBach View Post
So, a $287 million bond was rejected and in its place we get a beautiful art deco courthouse from the Feds for free. It works itself out when you don't tax yourself to death...

Yes, there will be about $17 million in repairs to retrofit but it is substantially cheaper than the original boondoggle:

https://communityimpact.com/austin/s...cquired-today/

The lesson is to think before you vote on bonds. It's never the "only" solution. There are always better solutions...

The reason I bring this up is there are bonds on the menu yet again. It's a meal that will not go down well I should say...

I voted against the courthouse bond, but to try and claim these are comparable is just laughable.


The new courthouse was going to provide for the space needed 30-50 years out (I forget the exact number). Space for something like 20 courts.

This new one will free up space for _2_.

“The sooner we can get this building up and running the sooner that frees up space in the Heman Marion Sweatt [county courthouse]where we need two additional district courts.”


The planned courthouse was 500k square feet. This is 60k.


This buys them breathing room for just a few years, until the next courthouse is planned (and there will be another plan and another bond).


Quote:
Originally Posted by cBach View Post
Yes, there will be about $17 million in repairs
_literally_ your own link says $28M.

"Eckhardt said it will take an estimated $28 million to renovate the building, with about $20 million of that going toward structural improvements."
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Old 10-27-2017, 08:00 AM
 
Location: Austin, TX
12,059 posts, read 13,890,870 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady View Post
That article is from Dec. 29 of last year.
I realize that but it's close to the November elections when bonds are up for vote again, hence the post.
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Old 10-27-2017, 09:15 AM
 
Location: Central Texas
20,958 posts, read 45,404,950 times
Reputation: 24745
Quote:
Originally Posted by Novacek View Post
I voted against the courthouse bond, but to try and claim these are comparable is just laughable.


The new courthouse was going to provide for the space needed 30-50 years out (I forget the exact number). Space for something like 20 courts.

This new one will free up space for _2_.

“The sooner we can get this building up and running the sooner that frees up space in the Heman Marion Sweatt [county courthouse]where we need two additional district courts.”


The planned courthouse was 500k square feet. This is 60k.


This buys them breathing room for just a few years, until the next courthouse is planned (and there will be another plan and another bond).




_literally_ your own link says $28M.

"Eckhardt said it will take an estimated $28 million to renovate the building, with about $20 million of that going toward structural improvements."
If you look at your keyboard you'll see where the 17 million versus 28 million came from.
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Old 10-27-2017, 09:33 AM
 
Location: Austin, TX
15,269 posts, read 35,637,527 times
Reputation: 8617
Quote:
There are always better solutions...
Sooo...what IS the better solution to the overcrowded Bowie HS? This bond would expand the common areas to accommodate the current overcrowding. This is pretty desperate and is getting worse, so we kind of need to start on a solution now. This is an alternative to a new HS, so it is a much cheaper solution. For that piece of the bond, this IS the better solution, similar to the 'free' band-aid on the courthouse. Presuming that 'everything will just fix itself' doesn't seem like a very good option.

I know there are a lot of other items in the bond, but this argument seems more akin to ignoring the problem rather than fixing it.
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Old 10-27-2017, 12:57 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
12,059 posts, read 13,890,870 times
Reputation: 7257
Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady View Post
If you look at your keyboard you'll see where the 17 million versus 28 million came from.
Yep fat fingered that one...
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Old 10-28-2017, 05:48 AM
 
716 posts, read 539,734 times
Reputation: 1546
you better watch out for those liberal wackos from california - they are use to bonds and the bs excuse its for the children or its for the fire fighters or whoever for whatever reason -

they will bond you to death and you think your property taxes are high now! - how about some fiscal responsible decision making from your counsels? how about saving for the the future? how much are you paying for those retired workers who only worked for 20 -25-30 years and will be retired longer than they actually worked? How much are you paying for their medical insurance or their families? you better start asking the tough questions or you will see bonds for parks, fire stations, school waiting, school air conditioning, pothole repairs, new water mains, sidewalks i can go on and on - it will NEVER STOP if you allow liberals to have easy access to money - your money
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Old 10-28-2017, 04:48 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
12,059 posts, read 13,890,870 times
Reputation: 7257
Quote:
Originally Posted by ikoolu View Post
you better watch out for those liberal wackos from california - they are use to bonds and the bs excuse its for the children or its for the fire fighters or whoever for whatever reason -

they will bond you to death and you think your property taxes are high now! - how about some fiscal responsible decision making from your counsels? how about saving for the the future? how much are you paying for those retired workers who only worked for 20 -25-30 years and will be retired longer than they actually worked? How much are you paying for their medical insurance or their families? you better start asking the tough questions or you will see bonds for parks, fire stations, school waiting, school air conditioning, pothole repairs, new water mains, sidewalks i can go on and on - it will NEVER STOP if you allow liberals to have easy access to money - your money
Actually property tax rates are higher here than California. Move on.
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