The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
It’s about maintaining good schools and local control
Probably the biggest issue facing voters in both ends of the valley is the proposed mill levy override for the Re1J school district. If passed, issue 3B would bring $2.5 million in additional property taxes to the school system in the county. Here are some questions we have received from voters and we asked members of the Yes for Sustaining Our Schools Committee Kristi Hargrove and Ian Billick to address the queries. Their answers are below.
Could Crested Butte receive a “resort” designation that would bring more money into the district?
No. No such designation exists. There is a cost of living formula used by the state and the Gunnison District already receives more money than average because of high local costs.
If 3B is passed by the voters, how will the money be used?
Approximately $1 million will be used to restore staff, including counseling, tech, librarians, special education teachers, math intervention, world languages, instruction coaches, and maintaining class sizes. Approximately $1 million will be used for programs (summer programs, full-day kindergarten, STEM/vo-tech training, concurrent enrollment) and curriculum (replacing materials and professional development); and $500,000 will be used for annual capital expenses (transportation, technology, and building and grounds).
Will there be capital improvements as a result of the new tax?
Not in the short-term. The tax will allow the district to set aside reserves to maintain buses, buildings, technology and grounds in the long run.
Is the tax about creating a private school experience?
No. The proposed tax is meant to maintain current spending levels, given the state’s financial difficulty in maintaining spending on schools. It is not about upgrading the schools.
How will the money be split up and down valley?
Roughly on a per-child basis.
Will the money be used to increase teacher and administrator salaries or benefit packages, including retirement and health care?
No. The taxes will be used to maintain the needed number of teachers and administrators, but it will not increase what they receive.
What is the status of the district’s reserves?
The general reserves are currently healthy, but the district has been spending approximately $200,000 per year out of reserves to avoid deeper cuts. Spending reserves can only continue for another year or two before the minimum amount set by district policy will be reached. When the state made deep cuts to the money they sent to the schools, they recognized that they were putting districts in a very difficult situation. They eliminated the requirement that the districts set aside capital reserves. Taking advantage of this, the district has not set aside capital reserves in order to avoid accelerating staffing cuts.
How will the mill levy change from year to year?
The ballot language caps the amount the district can receive at $2.5 million. It will not increase with the cost of living. If the district receives additional funds (from the state addressing school finance or payment in lieu of taxes from the federal government), the school board can reduce the amount taken in by the district, which will have the effect of lowering the assessment on individual properties. Additionally, as property values increase in the county, the burden on any individual property owner will decrease.
What will people be assessed in the upcoming year?
Residential property owners will pay $43 per $100,000 of current assessed valuation. Commercial property owners, as per state law, will pay $392 per $250,000 of current assessed valuation.
If the override is passed, what will the Crested Butte Community School see in 2015/2016?
The budget for 2015/2016 will be set this spring by the Board of Education based upon past priorities and how circumstances change between now and then. But with that in mind, the items that have been discussed include maintaining class sizes, restoring library services, reducing the financial burden of access to kindergarten, reductions in student fees and fees for classroom supplies, more opportunities in the summer and concurrent enrollment, and continued investment in science, technology, engineering and math, including math intervention.
