Comal Independent School District's Board of Trustees voted unanimously Tuesday to place a $567 million bond package on the November ballot, splitting the ask into two propositions that would fund new schools, buses, land and classroom technology across the fast-growing New Braunfels-area district. Proposition A carries a $539.95 million price tag, while Proposition B totals $27.04 million, with both measures headed to Comal ISD voters on November 3.
According to Community Impact, VLK Architects managing principal Tim Kunz presented the bond package to trustees after beginning to walk district facilities in June 2025 and meeting with district leadership that same month to talk through capacity needs. Trustee David Krawczynski missed Tuesday's vote because of a family obligation, so fellow trustee Courtney Biasatti read a statement on his behalf saying he fully supports the bond and its additions to the Davenport feeder pattern, all campuses and support services.
A 61-Member Committee Weighed the Numbers
The bond recommendation traces back to Comal Forward, a 61-member citizen committee made up of parents, community members, staff and students who spent months reviewing district data before settling on a final figure. Superintendent Dr. John Chapman said the package grew out of that committee's work reviewing demographics, touring campuses and evaluating the district's debt capacity, according to KSAT.
Committee member Victor Reyna, who also serves as a trustee, said he will vote yes on the bond. Trustee Russ Garner said he's backing the measure because of the district's track record with previous bonds and what he called its excellent reputation for financial integrity and transparency, while trustee Tim Hennessee said he has full confidence in the package.
Two Propositions, Two Different Jobs
Proposition A, the larger of the two measures, would fund two new elementary schools along the Interstate 35 corridor in New Braunfels, along with replacement buses equipped with seat belts, building maintenance and land purchases for future campuses, per the San Antonio Express-News. Proposition B is narrower in scope, aimed squarely at replacing aging student laptops and upgrading classroom network infrastructure.
The split isn't arbitrary. State law requires Texas school districts to separate technology funding into its own distinct ballot proposition, which is why the $27.04 million tech ask appears apart from the facilities-heavy Proposition A, KSAT notes.
A Flat Tax Rate, But Mandatory Warning Language
District officials say both propositions can be financed through Comal ISD's current Interest & Sinking tax rate of $0.35 per $100 of taxable value, meaning trustees don't expect the debt-service portion of the tax bill to rise, according to a district release cited by Community Impact. Comal ISD's total tax rate for the current school year sits at $1.0748 per $100, combining that $0.35 debt-service rate with a $0.7248 Maintenance & Operations rate.
Even so, every proposition on the ballot must include the statement "THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE," a requirement written into Texas Education Code § 45.003 under 2019's House Bill 3 that applies no matter whether a district's actual rate changes, as KHOU has reported. The mandatory language can create confusion for voters even when, as Comal ISD contends, the rate itself isn't moving.
Growth That Keeps the Bonds Coming
Comal ISD now enrolls more than 30,300 students across 589 square miles, having gained roughly 10,000 students over the past decade, and district projections estimate enrollment will top 40,000 by 2035, per the Express-News. That trajectory is why voters have approved $1.4 billion in Comal ISD bonds since 2015, including a $560.6 million package in May 2023 for three elementary campuses and a middle school, and a $411.3 million bond in November 2021.
A Zonda Demographics report presented to the district in October 2025 counted more than 76 residential subdivisions in active planning or construction across Comal ISD, including upwards of 3,600 active multifamily units and 6,000 more units planned for later phases, Community Impact reported. That pattern is already visible in New Braunfels, where the 6,000-lot Mayfair master-planned community opened a Comal ISD elementary school before finishing its own commercial retail buildout, according to Hoodline's coverage of the Mayfair development.
The influx has also reshaped who fills Comal ISD's classrooms. State demographic data show white students made up 49.4% of enrollment this year, down 5.5 percentage points since 2016, while 31% of students in the district are classified as economically disadvantaged, according to the Texas Tribune Schools Explorer.
Key Dates for Comal ISD Voters
Residents hoping to weigh in on the bond must register to vote by October 5, 2026. Early voting runs October 19 through October 30, and polls on Election Day, November 3, will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
