What was different in the August 2012 bond issue from the failed proposal in February?

Post date: Jul 19, 2012 10:05:51 PM

After the failed bonds in February, the planning committee of community members and educators was expanded, an independent consultant conducted a voter survey, and the Board of Education used the feedback in making these changes for the new proposal:

• Smaller bond issue: $12.7 million instead of $49.5 million, focusing on popular and essential aspects of the previous bond question and delaying secondary school configuration issues for further study and voter consideration in a future and independent bond issue

• Focus on sustaining district programs and class sizes over a seven-year period instead of a large ten-year comprehensive plan with a secondary grade reconfiguration

• Construction focuses on elementary schools, primarily eliminating portables at Kane

• Athletics construction scaled back 82% from what was in the previous bond; now it is only 3.4% of this far smaller bond, with NO new press box

The $49.5 million bond issue in February only secured approval votes of 49.6% and 54.4%, short of the 60% supermajority required of Oklahoma school bond issues. Knowing that voters had strongly approved previous $30 million school bonds in 2001 and again in 2007, the Long Range Facilities Planning Committee was expanded to include members with varying views on the failed bond. A voter survey was conducted by an independent consultant to gather feedback on what voters liked and did not like about the failed bond. Low voter turnout also may have contributed to the failure of the previous bond: please encourage your friends to come out and vote on August 28!

The new $12.7 million issue going before voters reflects that feedback. It is deliberately smaller and designed to focus on areas with strong voter approval, such as eliminating portable classrooms at Kane and meeting long-term district needs for curriculum, technology, maintenance, and transportation. The more difficult and controversial issues of how best to configure grades 6-12 are still under study and will be the subject of a future bond issue. Nothing in the August 28 bond issue proposal is linked to a future vote on secondary facilities. They will be addressed in a future INDEPENDENT bond proposal.

This new bond was carefully crafted so that it can meet basic district needs over its seven-year span while keeping the school tax millage steady for awhile. This will give the district time to develop at facilities plan for grades 6-12 which can earn voter approval and still keep the school tax millage steady in later years.

KEY COMPONENTS TO THIS REVISED BOND PROPOSAL

• No Tax Levy Increase: The bond issue would keep the school millage at its current levels so that property owners would not see an increase in their property tax bills. As old bonds from the 2007 issue roll off, they would be replaced by new bonds.

• Eliminate Old Portables at Kane: The only portable classrooms still in use by students are at Richard Kane Elementary and Madison Middle School. The bond will retire the ones at Kane, replacing them with an Early Childhood Center pod like those recently built at Ranch Heights, Wayside and Wilson.

  • Preserve Class Sizes By Reducing Costs in General Fund: The bond keeps some capital costs out of the General and Building Funds to help compensate for severe state funding cuts. In Oklahoma bond issues cannot be used to pay salaries, which form almost 90% of the district's General Fund expenses, and the district's capped Building Fund millage cannot even cover maintenance costs. But bond issues can purchase instructional materials and equipment and can construct and renovate facilities. Through careful planning this can greatly ease the burden on the General and Building funds, since absorbing all of those annual costs in the General Fund would be the equivalent of about 27 to 29 teacher salaries.

• Scaled-Back Improvements to Custer Stadium: Only 3.4% of the bond will go toward upgrades at Custer Stadium for safer access and improved visitor concessions, stadium lighting and sound. A new press box is NOT included in this proposal.

• No Effect on Secondary Grade Configuration: This bond proposal is crafted so that it does NOT tie the district to any particular configuration for grades 6-12, leaving that issue for additional study and a future vote in an independent bond proposal.

What is happening in other districts: