Plano’s school district is joining the city in helping fund a proposed arena for the Dallas Stars at The Shops at Willow Bend site. The school board approved the agreement over the summer, and the Plano City Council approved it Monday night, allowing the Plano Independent School District to co ntribute tax revenue to the project that could bring the NHL franchise up the tollway from American Airlines Center. The agreement would allow Plano ISD to host graduation ceremonies and other events at the city-owned arena. Plano Mayor John Muns, a former school district trustee, said it would be meaningful to host high school graduations in the city. Plano ISD’s three senior high school graduations are hosted at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco. In a press release Wednesday, Plano ISD explained that Texas law requires the district to send a portion of the property taxes the community pays to the state through a program called recapture. The district said those dollars leave Plano and go to the State of Texas. They said through this partnership, however, with the City of Plano, Plano ISD expects to keep a share of those dollars at home. The press release reads in part: “The agreement is structured so that Plano ISD directs a portion of new revenue over a setperiod, revenue that would mostly have gone to the state through recapture, to supporteconomic growth in Plano and, ultimately, the tax base that funds our schools.” “That’s a big deal to me is to be able to see seniors get their diploma … right here,” Muns said. Click here to read more on this report from our partners at The Dallas Morning News. The city hosted a meeting Tuesday night to inform residents about the proposed $3B Willow Bend redevelopment project that could pave the path for a Stars arena. Plano residents will get a chance to vote on whether they approve the proposed project in Proposition A, which would allow venue taxes to help fund the multi-purpose arena. Early voting starts Monday for the Nov. 3 elections. At Monday’s city council meeting, city leaders heard a preliminary report about how the proposed project and possible Stars arena could impact traffic, including before and after games or other events, and how that might impact nearby neighborhoods. This comes a week after the group Stop the Stars Arena PAC hosted an event for residents. During the meeting, speakers raised concerns about the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, as well as potential infrastructure and public-service costs. The group also cited research questioning the economic benefits of publicly subsidized sports venues. While the district portion of funding is now approved, the committee hopes voters will reject Proposition A. Details on the cost and who will pay for traffic improvements are still being negotiated. The full report is expected by the end of Oct. Council members and residents had questions and concerns about the proposal. ...read more read less