The Provo School Board is considering breaking up a $32.1 million bond request that will go before the public in September.
Several board members are having second thoughts about putting the entire $32.1 million bond issue to a vote at one time. They're thinking smaller might be better.The money would be used to build one elementary, one middle school and one high school. The current proposal would include a property-tax increase to pay off the bonds and fund other building projects. The owner of an $80,000 home would pay an additional $104 a year in tax.
Board President Mossi White fears the district won't have the money to operate the three schools.
"Our maintenance and operations budget is now strapped, and we could not run those schools without raising taxes again," she said. District officials estimate it would cost about $1 million a year to operate the schools. The tax increase and bonds would raise only about $800,000 a year.
The board voted Tuesday to hire an investment consultant to map out a strategy for reworking the current bond proposal and possibly reducing the tax burden. The board may consider presenting the bond in pieces rather than as a whole. It also voted to move the election up from November to September to avoid competing with a Utah County jail bond election.
"Whatever we are going to put on the ballot, we will do in September," White said.
Board member David Weight said the district desperately needs a middle school. Dixon and Farrer middle schools are two of its most crowded. Dilapidated elementary schools also need remodeling. He doesn't want to see those projects fall by the wayside should the bond
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fail.
"I've been nervous about how much risk there is that we could lose the entire bond in the election," he said. He suggested the bond be broken into two parts to give the middle school a better chance for voter approval.
Weight's suggestion of separate bonds doesn't appeal to board member Gayle Chandler, who said they're not likely to pass. Chandler wants to go for the $32.1 million proposal.
"This proposal benefits everyone in the entire community."
Board members agree that the district must ease the pressure on its cramped schools.
"I don't want to contribute to idea of stack 'em deep and teach 'em cheap," Chandler said.
Board member Ken Matheson wondered if his colleagues were overreacting. "Nobody wants to raise taxes, but there is a need there," he said.
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Tax increase
The current proposal for borrowing to build three Provo schools - which will be on the ballot in September - would cost the owner of an $80,000 home an additional $104 a year in property taxes.