With only 74 days to go until ballots are mailed out in Colorado, supporters of the Durango School District 9-R tax increase are organizing a campaign to encourage voters to approve the measure.
The group, Stronger Schools, Stronger Community, will meet Thursday to form subcommittees, including media and public relations, a speakers bureau, a canvassing team, fundraising, parent outreach and a student network; weigh in on the proposed ballot language, and set a meeting schedule. Naomi Azulai, whose two young sons attend Park Elementary School, will serve as the campaign chairwoman.
“Why is improving and maintaining a high quality of education important to the whole community?” she said about the focus of the campaign. “I want people to understand how bolstering education benefits everyone.”
The mill levy override, which would bring in $1.7 million in 2017, will include Animas High and Mountain Middle public charter schools, with funding disbursed on a per-pupil basis. The 9-R school board decided to go to voters for additional money because state funding has not rebounded from the recession, in large part because of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, while needs continued to grow.
“I want people to come and feel like there’s a place for them in the campaign,” Azulai said.
The draft language for the measure includes information on how the money would be spent, 9-R Superintendent Dan Snowberger said.
“Allow our schools to maintain and invest in community-valued programs within Durango School District 9-R, Mountain Middle and Animas High Schools by:
Investing in critical programs that support college- and workforce-ready graduates;Minimizing increased class sizes and loss of more educational programs; Maintaining our ability to attract, retain and train high-quality staff; andEnsuring safe and innovative learning environments.”The 9-R board has until its Aug. 30 meeting to approve the final language to meet the La Plata County Clerk’s deadline before ballots go to print. Once the language is approved, 9-R administration staff cannot campaign for the measure and may only answer factual questions. Off-duty teachers and classified staff may campaign on their own time.
One reason the board delayed ballot language approval to the last possible meeting was to allow Snowberger to advocate for the measure because he is so effective, board member Matt Sheldon said at a meeting earlier this summer.
Ballots will be mailed Oct. 17.
abutler@durangoherald.com
If you go
The group organizing the campaign to pass the Durango School District 9-R mill levy override on the ballot in November will meet at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Powerhouse Science Center, 1333 Camino del Rio. Child care will be provided.
A campaign Facebook page is at Stronger Schools Stronger Community – 3A Mill Levy. The group may be contacted at sssc3a@gmail.com.
