Lockhart voters to decide on joining ACC district in November after board approves annexation election call

LOCKHART, Texas (KXAN) -- Voters in Lockhart will decide this November on whether they'll join the Austin Community College taxing district.

The ACC Board of Trustees on Monday unanimously approved calling for a special annexation election for the Lockhart Independent School District territory.

This comes after the board in May unanimously certified a petition from residents living in the territory who were interested in adding the ACC annexation item to November’s ballot. More than 1,000 Lockhart residents signed the petition, according to ACC.

In June, the board was joined by the college administration for a public hearing in Lockhart, where Lockhart community members learned more about potentially entering the college's taxing district, ACC said in a release.

If Lockhart votes to join the taxing district, students who attend ACC would benefit from in-district tuition rates and fees, including the recently approved ACC Free Tuition pilot program. Residents living within the Lockhart ISD territory would receive in-district benefits immediately if the measure were approved.

Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Early voting runs from Monday, Oct. 21, to Friday, Nov. 1.

ACC's proposed service plan for Lockhart ISD is detailed below:

• Phase 1: ACC will work with LISD to provide services on LISD property during evenings and weekends when LISD property is not otherwise in use. The college will offer expanded career and technical workforce offerings as well as collaborate with the school district on the implementation of an Early College High School.
• Phase 2: ACC will work with the local community to develop and occupy a 15,000-square-foot to 20,000-square-foot workforce and general education space located in close proximity to Lockhart High School.
• Phase 3: ACC will purchase land and develop a permanent facility in the territory to be annexed after consultation with local community, economic, and educational leadership to ensure that the permanent facility meets the emerging and projected needs of the region.