At the end of a long ballot for the Nov. 8 election, voters residing within Durango School District 9-R’s boundaries will be asked to approve a tax increase for the district.
A “Yes” vote will give the district a mill-levy override of up to 25 percent of program costs, which would cost taxpayers $1.7 million in 2017. That comes to $40 for the owner of a home valued at $400,000. The amount the district receives would increase over time as property values increase.
For the first time, a district initiative also includes Mountain Middle and Animas High schools, so it would benefit all public school students in the district on a per-pupil basis.
The district has watched funding suffer as the state Legislature, laboring under Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights restrictions post-recession, has been unable to fund education as voters intended when they passed Amendment 23 in 2000.
District 9-R is joining 62 other Colorado school districts in requesting help from local voters because money from the state falls short. The Colorado Association of School Boards said there are $4.5 billion in bond requests and more than $200 million in mill levy override requests on Colorado ballots in November.
“Education is the cornerstone to every great society,” said Naomi Azulai, chairwoman of Stronger Schools, Stronger Community, a citizen-led group working to pass the tax increase. “We need to invest in education, and even if the state’s not doing its part, we also have a part.”
The money would be spent in four areas:
Ensuring safe, effective and innovative learning environments and infrastructure. This could include buying school buses, performing maintenance such as new flooring, upgrading technology or boilers or putting a new roof on a leaking building. For the charter schools, which pay for their own buildings, it might go to rent or building a new facility.District 9-R board member Stephanie Moran pointed out the critical need to get and stay up with technology at a recent education forum.
“More than 40 percent of the 3,000 computers in the district are five years old or older,” she said. “We ignore the fact, at students’ expense, that there’s no job you can enter today without technology chops.”
Preparing students for the workforce or college by giving schools the ability to create individualized learning. Durango High School added academic advisers this year, and it is already seeing success, according to counselor Deborah Medenwaldt, but adequate staffing requires funding.Helping maintain class size, which was lowered when the 2010 3A ballot initiative passed, but has been creeping back up, 9-R Superintendent Dan Snowberger said. The district has at least one fourth-grade class with 29 students, and there is no money to hire a second teacher. This portion of the funding would also allow 9-R to save or reintroduce programs. The district has had to cut programs such as automotive, computer-aided design, 3-D modeling and culinary arts, all of which provide pathways to the workforce for students not headed to college.Maintaining the ability to attract, retain and train high quality staff. Rural and small town schools are facing increasing challenges finding and keeping top-notch teachers, and while the 2010 3A measure allowed Durango to offer the highest salaries on the Western Slope, that is no longer the case. Two years ago, 9-R cut 24 licensed positions – teachers, counselors, librarians, coaches – and the aides the district had in every classroom with more than 18 students were eliminated. At the same time, a federal mandate requiring more teacher monitoring and support means all schools now must have an assistant principal.If some of the categories seem broad, there’s a reason, Snowberger said.
“This is to cover not only what we know today but what could occur in the future,” he said. “It gives us some flexibility, and also recognizes the charters have different needs than the district.”
Those thinking marijuana taxes should pick up the slack from the legislature’s negative factor should know that the money is designated to school safety infrastructure needs. Durango has received $70,000 since the Building Excellent Schools Today fund was instituted. The money was used for a partial new roof at Park Elementary School and new boilers at two rural elementary schools.
No organized committee has coalesced over this measure, but those planning to vote “No,” say they’re against any new taxes and the district should manage its money better and should cut administration positions.
A “No” vote leaves the district in its current position, where any addition to the budget requires a cut somewhere else. Budget experts say state funding may reach a crisis level in the next few fiscal years when TABOR, Medicaid, education and roads and infrastructure needs collide.
abutler@durangoherald.com
Funding comparison by district (PDF)
To learn more
A citizens committee has been formed to support the 3A mill levy override for Durango School District 9-R. Visit www.durangoschools3A.com to learn more.
Election Guide
The Durango Herald will bring you daily election stories through Oct. 23 on every contested race and every local and state ballot issue. You can find all election coverage at durangoherald.com/election.
Voter Information
The Nov. 8 election is the first presidential election in which all voters will receive a ballot through the mail if registered to vote by Oct. 31. Here’s some details:
Ballots were mailed beginning this week.
Ballots can be returned by mail or dropped off at secure, 24-hour drop boxes at: La Plata County Clerk & Recorder’s Office, 98 Everett St., Durango; Bayfield Town Hall, 1199 Bayfield Parkway, Bayfield; La Plata County Administration Building, 1101 E. Second Ave., Durango; or Farmers Fresh Market, 535 Goddard Ave., Ignacio.
Voter registration is open through Election Day.
Voter Service and Polling Centers in La Plata County will be open Monday through Saturday, beginning Oct. 24.
For a sample ballot and times and addresses for polling centers, go to
bit.ly/2dGU3VD
.
