FORTBENDNOW ARCHIVE · NOVEMBER 5, 2007 ·

LOCAL NEWS ·

Polling commissioned by supporters of Fort Bend Independent School District’s $428 million bond referendum shows about 57% of eligible voters would vote for it in today’s election, although the poll carries a margin for error that could make the election very close.

Andre McDonald, whose psephological consulting firm, WNW, did the polling, said earlier numbers gave the school bond issue just a 51% voter approval rating. By last weekend, following a series of newspaper ads, the approval rating rose to 57%, with a 5% margin for error, he said.

Money for the polling and the advertising came in the form of a total of $79,700 in contributions, largely from the development community, to a newly formed single-issue political action committee called “Excellence in Education for Everyone Committee.” Claude Leatherman, treasury vice president for the Fort Bend Education Foundation, is listed as the PAC’s treasurer.

At the top of the list of contributors donating money since Sept. 25 is Houston home builder Bob Perry, who gave $10,000 to the PAC, according to the committee’s financial reports.

Among business donors who contributed $5,000 to the PAC was Aliana Development Co., Bay Architects, PBK Architects, SHW Group architects, NNP Telfair LP and Southern Land Co.

Sienna/Johnson Development, Sugar Land Ranch Development, Hulft Zollars of Dallas and the Linebarger Goggan law firm each gave $2,500. And a host of businesses, mostly architects, engineering consultants and law firms, contributed $500 or $1,000 apiece.

Other individuals who contributed to the bond issue support PAC included Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Timothy Jenney, Chief Communications Officer Mary Ann Simpson, Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council President Jeff Wiley, Fort Bend County Precinct 2 Commissioner Grady Prestage, Sugar Land City Councilman Michael Schiff and long-time educator and former FBISD board trustee Rita Drabek, according to finance reports.

The bond referendum, if approved by voters, would allow the fast-growing district to build four elementary schools, two middle schools and a high school within the next three years or so, in addition to making more than $138 million in repairs, refurbishments and maintenance to existing campuses.

While proponents of the bond issue are well-organized and well-funded, opposition to the referendum is loosely organized and much less visible. An opposition group is publishing a web site called FBISDWatchDogs, which says the group is “here to serve the public and to keep them informed on how their tax dollars are being spent in the local school system.”

The bond issue support PAC spent $29,480 with Pamela Printing, $14,000 for polling and other services from WNW, and more than $8,800 on newspaper ads from the Houston Chronicle, Fort Bend Star and Fort Bend Sun.

At least one of the ads consists mostly of a large color photograph of businessmen Don Russell, John Null and Bill Jameson; Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council Chief Executive Herb Appel; Fort Bend County Precinct 4 Commissioner James Patterson; and District 26 State Rep. Charlie Howard. “We will vote yes for the FBISD bonds!” says a headline at the top of the photo. “Because it protects our property values!”

Meanwhile, the Fort Bend Employee Federation, which represents some 1,600 district employees, is not taking a position on the district’s bond issue.

While it has “not formally endorsed the Bond Referendum for 2007, the federation encourages everyone to exercise their right to vote in the bond election this Tuesday,” the organization said in a statement.

“The federation recognizes the challenges facing our administration in FBISD as they confront the explosive growth in Fort Bend County. We hope that everyone remains mindful of the needs of our children in an ever changing world of technology and innovation. The federation employees stand ready to work for the good of the district no matter what result we see in the election.”