By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

As the Hays USD 489 Board of Education continues to discuss the upcoming bond measure slated for a spring election, the next step is securing funding, one that will put board representatives in front of the Hays City Commission at its Jan. 7 Commission work session.

The school board is hopeful a sales tax increase will offset the mill levy to help pay for the $94 million effort to update facilities throughout the district.

The board heard options for the sales tax from Dustin Avey, managing director at Piper Jaffray & Co., including a 0.25 percent general sales tax and a 0.5 percent special sales tax.

Ellis County currently uses the special sales tax to fund projects including the Ellis County Courthouse renovations and the new EMS building, but that tax is expected to expire in October 2018.

The county has no intention of renewing that tax at that time, according to Bill Jeter, board counsel.

Approaching the city to explore the tax could delay the bond election, something the significantly lower cost would justify.

“I think if we wait till May, it will be worth it to do that,” said Superintendent Dean Katt.

Both Katt and board President Lance Bickle will approach the city commission at the January meeting.

The board also discussed the potential that adding the tax question to the upcoming bond election might force the election to be a walk-in election, rather than the preferred mail-in election, due to limitations in state law on what can be included on a mail election.

“We’ll have to clarify that,” Katt said.

Either way, voters will have the option to vote for the sales taxes independently from the bond issue, but the sales tax would only be implemented if the bond measure is passed.

In either scenario, property owners in Hays will not see the increase until after next year.

“When voters get their tax bill next January, it will reflect this project,” Avey said.