Harris County Democratic, Republican Parties oppose $4.4 billion Houston ISD bond – Houston Public Media

Adam Zuvanich/Houston Public Media

With less than five weeks until the election, both the Harris County Democratic and Republican parties have publicly come out in opposition to Houston ISD’s $4.4 billion bond proposal.

The proposal was first drafted in July and will appear on the Nov. 5 ballot. If passed, $2.05 billion would go towards rebuilding over 40 aging campuses and renovating many others. $1.35 billion would be spent on safety and security upgrades. This would include removing lead and mold, replacing HVAC systems, and designating a single point of entry for all HISD school buildings.

The final $1 billion would cover technology upgrades, the construction of three new career and technical education centers and the expansion of prekindergarten. The $4.4 billion figure will be split across two propositions on the ballot, Proposition A and Proposition B.

On Sunday, the Harris County Democratic Party Executive Committee voted unanimously to oppose the bond.

“While the Harris County Democratic Party supports public education and acknowledges the need for full funding, including bonds, it opposes the HISD $4.4 billion bonds, Proposition A and B, due to Superintendent Mike Miles’ fiscal mismanagement, inadequate oversight, and the detrimental impact on students and public education since the takeover,” the resolution said.

Harris County Democratic Party Chair Mike Doyle told Houston Public Media Wednesday that the funds should be in the hands of an elected representative, not Miles. Miles was appointed as the HISD superintendent in June of 2023 by the Texas Education Agency as part of the state’s takeover of the district.

“Mike Miles has been a terrible steward of public funds already, and has run up the deficit from over $118 million to close to $450 million in just a year,” Doyle said. “As far as the bond itself … it just looks like more wasted money to an unaccountable board and someone who doesn’t answer to the taxpayers. It really needs to go towards students and the buildings and the real things we need for education.”

Doyle said the local Democratic Party believes that public schools need better funding but disagrees with the current suggestion offered by the bond.

“There needs to be a bond; it just needs to be actually set out by our elected representatives who will do it appropriately and consistently with the community needs and the student needs,” he said. “Don’t give them the money now because they’ll waste it.”

Last month, the Harris County Republican Party was the first of the two parties to come out in opposition to the bond, passing its resolution against the HISD bond on Sept. 9.

The same day the GOP resolution passed, Rolando Garcia, a Harris County state Republican Executive Committee member posted a social media post in opposition to the bond.

“It’s the largest school bond in Texas history,” he said. “Conservatives do not trust Houston ISD — with a long history of financial mismanagement and malfeasance — to administer such a massive project without cost overruns and other shenanigans. HISD needs to go back to the drawing board.”

Harris County GOP Chair Cindy Siegel was not immediately available for comment.

The county’s two major political parties were not the first to come out against the historic bond proposal. Since being introduced, many parents and teachers have also criticized the bond.

Houston Federation of Teachers president, Jackie Anderson, said the HFT is glad that both parties are in agreement regarding the bond.

“The HFT vehemently opposes the HISD bond, prop A and B,” she said in a statement to HPM. “We are appreciative that both parties have joined us in opposing the bond. After careful consideration, I believe that they were able to agree with us that the direction that HISD is headed in is harmful to our students and our communities. There is a lack of transparency on the part of HISD’s appointed Superintendent and BOM and it is draconian. Look forward to working with both parties to save HISD schools from further harm.”