4 Million to be Spent on New Performing Arts Center for AISD

While looking for a topic I came across an article on the conservative website Empower Texas.  The article stated that the Austin ISD Board of Trustees recently approved an expenditure of $4 million from bonds to purchase land for a new performing arts center in Central Austin. This news coming just after last month they decided to cut more than 800 teachers salaries, taxpayers should be wondering how they justify the commitment to hiring new staff for the PAC. Austin voters have twice approved bond funding for the PAC, partial funding in the 2004 Bond Program, and full funding for land acquisition and construction under the 2008 Bond Program.   Total cost for the completion of the PAC is 40-million dollars.
It was only a few weeks ago that the AISD School Board decided to more than 800 teachers in an attempt to close a $94 million budget gap, which is almost impossible to do in a single year.  Considering Austin ISD spends less than half of its funds outside the classroom, you have to wonder how they plan on committing to hiring so many more auxiliary staff like janitors, maintenance workers, and so on that will be necessary tin operating the PAC.
AISD points to the fact that the money approved for the land acquisition and construction of the PAC can’t be used for operations costs such as teachers' salaries, and while this is technically true, it’s misleading. None of the money approved by the bonds will go towards the maintenance and operations of the PAC either.
That money has to come from somewhere though, and if we are already cutting teachers salaries now, where will the funding come from.  The article states they could fire more teachers like they’ve done recently, but the more likely option is that they cover the increased M & O costs with more property taxes (an option they quickly turned to for this current budget shortfall). Either way, taxpayers will be getting the short end of the stick, and academic excellence for kids will be further devalued.
Is starting construction on a new PAC more important than keeping property taxes low and funding available for more teachers in the future, especially with the budget problems facing the district? I am a fan of extra curiccular activities for students since I was very active in high school, and it is sad to see these are the first budgets to be cut, but if we are able to rent the venues as of now for the students shouldnt we continue to do so in order to tackle the huge deficite.  And I'm sure if local residents were given the option of starting construction or keeping property taxes low which Texas is known for then I believe they would choose the latter.