RESOLUTION NO. 53-17
A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING BALLOT ISSUES 3A and 3B
RECITALS:
The District 51 Board of Education recently approved two ballot questions for the November 7, 2017 election and the Mesa County Clerk will conduct the election on those questions. The questions, which will be known as ballot issues 3A and 3B ask voters to increase the property tax mill levy for the School District through an override of $6.5 million annually through and including December 31, 2027 and to authorize $118.5 million in bonds and to repay the bond debt by increasing property taxes by a maximum of $13.5 million per year until the debt is paid. Together the cost is $9.89 per month on a $200,000 home or a total of $118.65 per year ($56.58 for the override and $62.07 for the bond).
If questions 3A and 3B are approved, District 51 will spend $55 million for essential school maintenance, $40 million to replace Orchard Mesa Middle School, $11 million for technology upgrades, $5 million to build a gym at the Dual Immersion Academy, $5 million for an auxiliary gym at Palisade High School and $2.5 million to add security features at schools across the district. Those expenditures will improve instructional quality and allow more students to have access to and learn with and through technology in up-to-date facilities. Furthermore, District 51 will add teachers and add more classroom days to the school year. With approval of the ballot issues the District will also be better prepared to deal with what are nearly inevitable reductions in State funding. Question 3A, the mill levy override, will ask voters to approve use of property tax revenue to add 5 additional student contact days in the school calendar, spend $2 million for curriculum, an additional $1 million for ongoing maintenance and $300,000 for ongoing technology resources and support.
The mission of the City of Grand Junction is to be the most livable City west of the Rockies by 2025. The City Council fully embraces that mission and supports ballot issues 3A and 3B because the quality of our schools, and in turn the education that is provided to our students, is one of the most important factors in achieving and sustaining a positive quality of life. It is undeniable that education provides opportunity; opportunity to live and work at trades, careers and professions that may otherwise be unattainable without a strong educational foundation. When a community has strong schools it likely has a well-educated workforce. A well educated work force in turn contributes to a more stable and economically prosperous and vibrant community. For these reasons, among many others, the City Council concludes that investment in our schools is an investment in our future. That investment is best accomplished at this time by passage of ballot issues 3A and 3B.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that:
The Grand Junction City Council declares its' support for ballot issues 3A and 3B and urges all qualified voters to VOTE YES on questions 3A and 3B in the November election.
PASSED and ADOPTED this 6th day of September, 2017.
/s/ J. Merrick Taggart
President of the City Council
ATTEST:
/s/ W. Winkelmann
City Clerk