Celina residents who live on the Collin County side of the city will find four county bond propositions on their ballots as early voting continues this week. Together they ask voters to approve $817.5 million in borrowing for the county's courts and jail, roads, parks and a new elections building. Residents on the Denton County side will not see them.
Here is what the county says each proposition would pay for, according to its bond program presentation.
Proposition A: $296.5 million for courts and detention
- Jail beds: $190 million to add about 586 beds through new construction and by finishing existing shell space. The county says the jail runs at or near capacity every day of the year and has to contract for beds in other counties. The shell space would be finished in 2029 and a new jail cluster in 2031.
- Jail systems: $16.5 million to replace safety systems, air conditioning and elevators, from 2027 to 2032.
- Adult probation: $30 million for a new building that would pull probation offices out of the courthouse, done in 2030.
- Courthouse: $50 million for a new roof, six escalators and 11 elevators, plus about 30,000 square feet of shell space for court staff.
Proposition B: $475 million for roads
The county splits this into $350 million for regional roadways, scheduled from 2028 to 2032, and $125 million to rebuild county roads that are wearing out under heavier traffic and loads, from 2027 to 2032. The presentation does not list individual road projects.
Propositions C and D
Proposition C would provide $6 million to continue the county's trail, open space and park funding from 2029 to 2031. Proposition D would spend $40 million on an elections and records storage facility on the county's campus, with offices, a training area and storage, to be finished in 2030.
The tax question
The county's debt service tax rate is 4.18 cents per $100 of value, and it could rise to as much as 4.95 cents over the six-year program if county revenue grows 3% a year, Local Profile reported when the election was called. County officials have said they could slow bond sales if revenue grows faster, the outlet reported.