Voters approve bonds for schools, SFCC
Funds will pay for technology upgrades, repairs and maintenance at public and charter schools, while the community college will get money for a new auto repair facility, fitness center renovations and more
Voters in the Santa Fe school district on Tuesday approved a trio of ballot questions that will allow both Santa Fe Public Schools and the Santa Fe Community College to renew property tax mill levies to provide money for capital projects.
Of the 6,925 voters who cast ballots on the school district issue, an overwhelming 5,042 approved renewing a six-year, 2-mill levy to use property tax revenue to pay for technology system upgrades, campus repairs and maintenance. About $11.5 million per year will go to the district, and another $1.5 million for Santa Fe-based charter schools. Some 1,883 voters opposed the action. Voters also overwhelmingly supported a $17 million bond issue for Santa Fe Community College for a new auto repair facility, fitness center renovations, and classroom and technology system upgrades at the campus south of the city, with 5,924 voters supporting the bond and 1,763 casting ballots against it.
It was a typically light turnout for a local election on education matters. More than 80,000 registered voters were eligible to cast ballots.
“Thank you to the voters of Santa Fe County, we appreciate your support,” district Superintendent Veronica García said. “Children, families, faculty and staff are the beneficiaries of your generosity. We appreciate it, we don’t take it for granted and we promise to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars.”
One mill equals $1 for every $1,000 of assessed property value, which is one-third of a property’s market value. Therefore, a homeowner with a property valued at $300,000 continues to pay $200 a year because voters approved the renewal.
In addition to endorsing the community college bond issues, voters approved a mill-levy restructuring plan for the college with 5,564 in favor and 2,104 against.
Many voters said after casting ballots that they felt strongly about supporting both entities in their efforts to improve facilities that will in turn benefit students.
“I voted for all of them,” Lindsay Robinson said after casting her vote at the Montezuma Lodge north of downtown Santa Fe. “Schools — God, you know, we need to start investing more in our kids.”
“You bet I voted for it,” said Ron Rinker, who cast his ballot at the district’s Educational Services Center on Alta Vista Street. “We need better schools and we need to do all we can to support public education.”
But not everyone was so gung-ho. A woman who did not want her name in the newspaper said she voted against the public school ballot, but for the community college’s ballots. “I feel bad,” She said. “This is the first time that I have not supported Santa Fe Public Schools. But we are always last in the country in student performance. We need major change in the schools — not just by improving the brick-and-mortar buildings.”
I voted for all of them. Schools — God, you know, we need to start investing more in our kids.” Lindsay Robinson, voter