On Election Day, voters Grand Rapids voted on a tax to keep Grand Rapids Public Schools warm, safe and dry, the tax passing with 52.9 percent of the vote.
A 1-mill, 5-year sinking fund tax will help renovate the district’s oldest buildings, such as repairing air conditioning systems, roofs and window and brick repair. The tax will generate approximately $4 million annually and will cost the average homeowner, with a median house worth $108,000, an average of $54 a year.
Buildings that will see renovations include City High Middle School, Central High School, Ottawa High School and Congress Elementary, which is over 100 years old.
“I think the tax passed because people see the contributions GRPS has made to the community,” said Kyle Pray, campaign manager for Warm, Safe and Dry Schools. “The sell is not hard: warm, safe and dry schools for kids.”
The issue arose back in the spring during the 2011-2012 school year budget process with the board of education, board member Maureen Slade said.
“The issue of repairs is always an issue as a result of loss of state aid and need to keep cuts away from the class room,” Slade said.
Board member Jon O’Connor said by just replacing the boiler system in City High School that dates back in the 1960s, there is a potential of saving 10 to 20 percent of energy, which will reduce the city’s utility cost.
“As education is priority no. 1,” O’Connor said, “we felt the prudent choice was to ask the taxpayers for a small millage that would ensure valuable dollars for the classroom repairs.”
Pray said he felt optimistic during the whole campaign since he was hired in August.
“We had bi-partisan support and endorsements, no opposition, and a group of committed individuals working to get the millage passed,” Pray said.
The campaign launched on Sept. 19, once the issue was confirmed to be on the November ballot, Pray said several individuals, strategists, planners, community activists and advocates formed the committee. The committee used multiple components to campaign for the tax. It held a launch at Congress Elementary, gathered endorsements, knocked on doors, sent mailings and used social media.
Now that city passed the tax, repairs will go into effect immediately. Not only will the tax provide Grand Rapids students with warm, safe and dry classrooms, but it will also invest in energy and water conservation, improve air quality and reduce waste sent to landfills. It also supports the community’s GRPS Five Year Strategic Plan to increase graduation rates and academic outcomes for students.
Grand Rapids is no stranger to renovating its school buildings. The city passed a similar tax in 2004 that supported a $165 million bond issue to renovate 11 the district’s elementary and middle school facilities. The only difference between the 2004 bond and the new sinking fund is that the sinking fund will only focus on repairs and replacement of capital improvements, not a construction of new buildings.
Superintendent Bernard Taylor addressed the passing of the tax at the Nov. 14 board meeting. He said that it was a close election, but passing the mileage “speaks volumes of the willingness of this community to support the children in our schools by digging deep during very hard economic times.”
There are still “house cleaning” issues the board and district have to deal with, Pray said. Initial meetings will happen throughout the school year to discuss process and procedures on how to utilize the funds in the best way.
“Like the old adage ‘people will walk 10 miles through a snow storm to vote no, but won't walk across the street to vote yes,’” Pray said. “But if our grade schools are not up to snuff, then how can we expect our students to achieve all this city has to offer? The voters agreed.”
No comments:
Post a Comment