Is it worth it?
YES: Safety, repairs worth $147 a year
We are a high school principal and a parish pastor who are leaders with Albuquerque Interfaith, which is comprised of 14 institutions — schools, churches and non-profits — who are committed to public education as vital to the well-being of our children, families, neighborhoods and democracy. Voters have an opportunity and obligation to participate in an important election in this new year. It is the APS Mill Levy and School Bond Election, where every registered voter in the boundaries of APS will be receiving a ballot at their home in early January. We encourage you to Vote “Yes” on the three ballot initiatives and drop the ballot in the mail so it is received by election judges by Feb. 9.
The funds generated by the mill levy and bond package, should they be approved, will generate over $900 million over the next six years.
From this package, new monies will be invested in heightened security at every school campus. APS is needing to upgrade safety measures, in response to incidences of gun violence on school grounds across the country in recent years. These funds will provide for new locks for every classroom, security vestibule entrances, upgraded camera security with a district-wide central monitoring center, and build protective perimeter fencing for each campus.
Also, every school will receive monies to invest in their Music and Arts programs, as well as in upgrading their physical education facilities. Importantly, every school will receive funds for upgrading technology for students and teachers, necessary to stay competitive in a fast evolving, high-tech world.
Finally, there are targeted capital dollars that will provide funding to finish up more that 23 school campuses that are currently in the midst of major rebuilds and upgrades. It will also provide start-up monies for 11 additional renovation projects targeting aging campuses in historic neighborhoods, like La Mesa Elementary School, which is adjacent to La Mesa Presbyterian Church.
The passage of all three measures will entail a small tax increase of 4.7 percent on homes.
It is not, however, the (almost) 20 percent figure being disseminated by some critics of the bond. (That is the percentage increase in APS’ tax.) For a home valued at $100,000, the annual increase is $67; for a home valued at $220,000, the (median) in the city, it will be a $147 annual increase. There has not been a(n APS) tax rate increase since 2006, well before the recession, and the cost of construction has grown steadily, necessitating the increased tax base. For clarification, the school bond monies are all capital dollars and not a part of the APS operating budget, which is funded by the state’s funding formula per child.
Another important public good of such an investment is that APS has been generating as much as 70 percent of the commercial construction in town over the past decade. This means jobs and economic growth for local businesses.
The capital monies generated by the bond package will be well invested in our children’s safety, their competitiveness in a high-tech world, and guaranteeing quality learning environments for all. We think it is worth digging a little deeper for our students to go much further in achieving their dreams. Vote “Yes” for our children!