Special Bond Election - November 2021

City of West Lake Hills
2021 Bond Election Update 
$25M Special Bond Election for Proposition A & B

Both Bond Propositions passed on 11/3/2021.  

Total Election Results:

• Proposition A FOR: 474 (61.08)% AGAINST: 302 (34.92%) Total Votes: 776
  • Election Day Vote Total: 287
  • Mail and Early Voting Total: 489
  • Provisional Ballots: 0
• Proposition B FOR: 576 (74.32%) AGAINST: 199 (25.68%) Total Votes: 775
  • Election Day Vote Total: 285
  • Mail and Early Voting Total: 490
  • Provisional Ballots: 0
• Proposition C FOR: 531 (68.87%) AGAINST: 240 (31.13%) Total Votes Cast 771 
  • Election Day Vote Total: 287
  • Mail and Early Voting Total: 489
  • Provisional Ballots: 0

For full results click here

In August, the City Council voted unanimously to call for a $25 million bond election on Nov. 2, 2021 - the first in the city’s history - to fund major infrastructure improvements. Those include a new municipal complex and six road and drainage projects.

There will also be a separate election, also to be held on Nov. 2, to undo a sales tax diversion that was enacted in the mid-1990s. If approved by voters, the 1/2 cent of sales tax revenue that had been used to lower property taxes would instead be diverted into a dedicated fund for road repair and maintenance.

The council’s vote to call for the Nov. 2 election caps off four years of study of the city’s current and future infrastructure needs. The council tasked the city’s engineering firm, K. Friese and Associates, with compiling a list of the city’s road and drainage needs. And it hired two architectural firms to study city facilities.

The $25 million bond proposal is split into two parts: Proposition A asks voters to authorize up to $13.2 million for a new municipal complex housing the police department, administrative offices, and council chambers.

The existing West Lake Hills complex located at 911 Westlake Drive is comprised of two buildings that were originally built to residential code, the Police Department to the west and the Administration Building to the east. The Police Department was completed in 1983. The Administration Building was completed a few years later and had an addition constructed in 2009. Both structures no longer comply with current building codes, nor do they meet state and national ADA standards. Neither building is sprinkled.

Proposition B seeks voter approval to issue up to $11.8 million to make immediate repairs to roadways and drainage improvements on Camp Craft Road, Redbud Trail, Westlake Drive, Laurel Valley Road, Yaupon Valley Road and Terrace Mountain Drive.

The road and drainage projects were developed by our engineers using a 2017 city-wide drainage study that used a weighted ranking system that included high risks to public safety, damage to infrastructure and recurring high maintenance costs. The road and drainage studies were updated in 2018, and our engineering firm developed a comprehensive multi-year plan based on existing roadway conditions and vehicular traffic volumes.

Both proposals have been reviewed by the city’s Bond Advisory Committee (BAC) which was appointed in the summer of 2019. Chaired by Virgil Flathouse, members include Gordon Bowman (who was elected to the city council in May), Arcie Jordan, James Vaughn and Grant Stanis. Committee members brought with them backgrounds in city planning, construction, and finance. They held five public meetings to discuss the projects in detail. Their report, which is available on the city’s website, unanimously recommends approval of both propositions.

Our current rate of 0.0786 cents accounts for roughly 4% of your annual property tax bill. Rollingwood’s tax rate of 0.2193 cents is approximately three times higher. And Austin’s is more than seven times higher.

Assuming a 25-year bond term, passing both Propositions A and B would increase the city’s tax rate to 0.1338 cents per $100 valuation. The annual tax impact to owners of the median priced $1.5 million home would be roughly $390 - $850 depending on which propositions pass.

Impact to West Lake Hills Property Owners

It is possible that only one of the Propositions will pass at the November Special Election. Again, and as the approved Ordinance included, we’re using the 25-year interest rate and debt service estimates provided by our PFM Financial Advisors LLC, to illustrate the Impact to Property Owners. Also please note that we are using an average of $1.5M assessed property value:

If the Special Bond Election on Tuesday, November 2nd, 2021, passes, the City of West Lake Hills is required to publish notice for public hearings before proceeding with the debt service issuance. More than likely, these public hearings would occur in February 2022. It’s very likely the interest rates in February 2022 will be different than they are today; however, these estimates are extremely conservative.

Click here for the August 11th City Council online meeting agenda that includes the presentation provided by our financial advisors, the ordinance as considered, project cost estimates and other exhibits.

The Cities listed below are provided to illustrate comparable median home values, their corresponding property tax rate and total annual tax bill for the City-portion only.

                          Averages                       20,622                 $1,504,963           $0.2645                     $3,521

West Lake Hills Property Owner, Median Home Value $1.5M

                                                  Total Tax Rate:     $1.8390                       $28,391                             100.00%

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

• Bond Election Tax Rate Impact
• Bond Advisory Council Recommendations
• Ordinance Calling Bond Election English
• Ordinance Calling Bond Election Spanish
• Proposition A
• Proposition B
• Sample Ballot
• Notice of Bond Election
• Notice of Bond Election Spanish
• Early Voting Locations
• Election Day Polling Locations