So far there is either limited feedback or support according to the staff report. It would raise taxes by an average of $69/year for a homeowner for Capital and $66/year for Operating Budget.
WHAT IS THE REFERENDA FOR?
Capital Budget asks:
- $70M each for East, West, LaFollette and Memorial High Schools ($61/yr)
- $6M for Capital High ($1/yr)
- $25-30M for New Rimrock and Elementary School ($7/yr)
Operating Budget asks are for the following increases:
- $8M year 1
- $8M year 2
- $10M year 3
- $10M year 4
WHAT HAS THE FEEDBACK BEEN?
Here’s the presentation the Operating Committee will be getting on Monday. More information on the outreach is here. So far they say the feedback is as follows:
General Feedback
- General support
- Satisfaction with clear presentation and communication
- Some concern about the size and financial impact of the referenda – stressed need for transparency.
Operating Feedback
- Relatively limited feedback
- General support and recognition of the need to maintain MMSD’s high-quality workforce
- Some questions regarding direct impact on schools and outcomes
- More data and feedback will be available when the survey is complete and analyzed.
New Elementary School
- Strong support for acquiring a site and building a new elementary school in the Rimrock area
- Serves a critical need and solves accessibility issues
- Some concern that a new school might contribute to racial/socioeconomic segregation, given likely demographics
Capital High
- Support for unifying Capital High East and West – one site would improve ability to serve students
- Some concerns regarding relocation to Hoyt Buidling (long commutes and disruption to Hoyt Park and neighborhoods)
High School Reinvestment
- Strong support for high school reinvestment
- Key priorities – sustainability, energy efficiency and conservation plus consideration of Title IX, all gender bathrooms and changing areas
- Rather than $70M per school, some participants suggested that a needs-based distribution of funds should be considered
