KLTV 7 News Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville |Update: Voters pass school bond

Update: Voters pass school bond

Update: Voters have passed Phase 2 of the Tyler ISD school package, with 25,645 (65%) people voting for the bond and 13,556 (35%) voting against the bond.

Voters will decide whether Phase 2 of the Tyler ISD school package will pass, after Phase 1 passed in 2004.  

KLTV 7's Courtney Lane was at the St. Louis School for special needs children today - that's one of 6 elementary schools that would be rebuilt if this school bond passes. It's very important to the district, because all of these campuses are over 40 years old. Co-chair of the Vote Yes Committee, Joey Seeber, says he's optimistic voters will approve the $125 million package.

"I think we're going to well but the polls are still open and people are still voting. I think the economy is going to affect the way people look at this. People have to be courageous in these times and decide this is the right thing to do despite difficulties there might be in the economy so it's an important vote. It's a pocketbook issue but I think when it comes down to it, people are going to say, you know, we believe in the schools," said Seeber Tuesday.

If the school bond doesn't pass tonight, Seeber says they'll have to go back to the drawing board. If it does pass, they expect to have some of the campuses open by the fall of 2010.

Courtney Lane, reporting. clane@kltv.com