Mill Levy Override: 3A facts
3A is a massive 16 mils property tax increase for Greeley Evans District 6. District voters will be asked to decide the tax increase with an all mail-in election. Ballot will be mailed the week of October 12. Ballot must be returned no later than 7 pm on November 3, to the Weld County Clerk and Recorders office.
Below, readers will find some facts about the District and the tax increase. Following is the full text of 3A.
- Greeley Evans District 6 funding per pupil: $9049 for 2007-2008 according to the Colorado Department of Education.
- Total funding from all sources — local, state and federal: $158.8 million according to CDE.
- District says it spends 87 percent of its budget on personnel costs. According to MLO supporters the District cannot reduce personnel funding.
- District graduation rate for 2008: 65.75% State: 73.9%
- District composite ACT: 18.2 State: 19.6
- Additional tax per $100,000 of residential property: $127.36
- Additional tax per $100,000 of commercial property: $464.64
- Accountability: District says it will create a citizen’s advisory board to “monitor and report” how the additional tax dollars are spent. This board has no authority. School Board member Bob Stack testified at the state capitol against transparency.
3A full text courtesy of the District Web site.
BALLOT ISSUE NO. 3A:
SHALL WELD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT 6 TAXES BE INCREASED $16,000,000 ANNUALLY, BEGINNING IN TAX COLLECTION YEAR 2010, AND THEREAFTER BY WHATEVER AMOUNTS AS MAY BE COLLECTED ANNUALLY IN EACH FISCAL YEAR FROM A MILL LEVY INCREASE OF NOT TO EXCEED 16 MILLS, TO BE DEPOSITED IN THE GENERAL FUND OF THE DISTRICT AND EXPENDED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, INCLUDING:
• PURCHASE TEXTBOOKS, COMPUTERS AND OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES REQUIRED BY STUDENTS AND TEACHERS FOR HIGHLY EFFECTIVE, HIGH-QUALITY ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION;
• SUPPORT COLLEGE, ACADEMIC, CAREER AND VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO PREPARE STUDENTS IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY FOR THE FUTURE;
• ENHANCE THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF STUDENTS, STAFF AND SCHOOL PROPERTY;
• ACQUIRE, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN BUSES TO IMPROVE STUDENT TRANSPORTATION;
AND SHALL SUCH TAX INCREASE BE AN ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX MILL LEVY IN EXCESS OF THE LEVY AUTHORIZED FOR THE DISTRICT’S GENERAL FUND, PURSUANT TO AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 22-54-108, C.R.S.; AND SHALL THE DISTRICT BE AUTHORIZED TO COLLECT, RETAIN, AND SPEND ALL REVENUES FROM SUCH TAXES AND THE EARNINGS FROM THE INVESTMENT OF SUCH REVENUES AS A VOTER APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE AND AN EXCEPTION TO THE LIMITS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE APPLY UNDER ARTICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION?
September 27th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
[...] « Mill Levy Override: 3A facts [...]
September 28th, 2009 at 6:20 am
[...] local newspaper the Greeley Tribune has gone all in on the mill levy override. 3A MLO, is a massive property tax increase for property owners in Greeley Evans District 6. [...]
September 28th, 2009 at 6:37 am
The outcomes in Greeley District 6 are highly questionable but I think if you ask Mr. Stack his intent about transparency you’ll find that the context of transparency was onerous to the district. It is a shocking statement to see in print when the situation is taken out of context I agree. I think a little more background research here is warranted. The oversight transparency detail proposed, in my understanding, was tantamount to not just micromanaging but also would have required the district to add at least a single full time paid position just to handle the additional transparency requests. If one goes to the State education site you’ll find what most financial analysts would need. Additionally the district is audited and those audits are posted. A normal level of transparency is available to the public.
The problem is no one is coming forth and really fixing or addressing the under performing situation with any clarity to the public. The public understands there is a problem but they are picking and choosing a dozen easy scape goat concepts as a solution. It is the job of the District School Board and Administration to put forth a solution, communicate it, and set a time line so the public feels trust can be rebuilt.
Greeleyville District 6, minimally, has lost the trust of the local community and while it remains to be seen what the real problems in District 6 are all about–it is not clear that adding the Mill Levy to their coffers will resolve anything but it is clear that to underfund an already poorly performing district will most likely cause harm (not the type the Greeley Tribune is trumpeting to scare people into voting yes either) rather than cause a sudden wave of efficiency. Mostly the mill levy provides additional assets and resources. How effectively those assets and resources are utilized and distributed and by whom they are applied will be the key test.
There are other resolutions the community can invoke if they continue to feel a loss of trust in the administration without placing the District in an even worse position by not passing the Mill Levy Override.
October 5th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
[...] Tribune publisher Bart Smith criticized taxpayers who demand more transparency in the face of 3A, a massive property tax increase for Greeley Evans School District 6. In an opinion editorial urging a yes vote, Smith reveals his own naive understanding of [...]
October 8th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
[...] The school bullies who are threatening to take away student programs and text books unless District 6 taxpayers pony up more money are whining. Apparently some members of the campaign want “equal time” on KFKA because I am organizing the opposition to 3A, their massive tax increase. [...]
October 12th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
[...] Transparency Act. The Greeley school district is hoping for a massive property tax increase, ballot measure 3A. Suddenly, the school district is bragging about its latest efforts at [...]
November 1st, 2009 at 2:57 pm
[...] for the school bullies, a.k.a. Yes on 3A. The largest single contributor to the campaign for 3A, the massive, forever property tax increase — the Greeley Tribune. Our local newspaper [...]
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:07 pm
[...] stood up to school bullies with a resounding NO VOTE on 3A, the massive, forever property tax increase. The results: 66 percent NO; 34 percent [...]
December 15th, 2009 at 7:30 am
[...] board still haven’t learned their lesson. Just last month, voters overwhelmingly opposed 3A, a $16 million tax increase, in part because the district has not been transparent with how it [...]
December 28th, 2009 at 9:31 am
[...] Sunday house editorial, acknowledges the role that transparency played in the recent defeat of 3A, a massive property tax increase for Greeley Evans School District 6. A lack of transparency in [...]
January 19th, 2010 at 5:27 pm
[...] of. Lack of transparency is a major reason why the school district endorsed massive tax increase 3A went down in flames. In response to the public’s demand for more transparency, the school [...]