|
Although the district successfully passed a bond measure
for school capital in 2004, the amount requested was less
than a quarter of the total amount of needs identified by
a professional needs analysis and less than half that requested
by the district's long-term planning committee. The needs
analysis showed that more than $231 million is needed for
repairs/renovation and replacement of existing buildings alone,
without taking into account the critical need for new buildings
to accommodate student growth in the area.
Like all school bond measures, the amount requested in 2004
was driven by political considerations about the tax tolerance
of local voters. Taxpayers in the district currently pay about
four times as much as nearby districts simply in mandatory
property taxes for district operating expenses. In such a
climate, the district has found understandable resistance
to further property tax increases for school buildings.
The district's current significant capital needs will continue
to snowball as it tries to keep up with both regular investment
and immediate urgent needs in existing buildings (the average
school building in the district is 43 years old) and the need
for new schools for children already filling up trailers across
the district.
>> Back to school
district list
|
