A look at Center and Hickman Mills’ bond and levy ballot questions

Southland Progress

By John Sharp

Both the Center and Hickman Mills school districts have two no tax increase bond and levy proposals on the April 7 ballot that will provide significant increases in funding for essential school operations such as teacher and staff salaries and student transportation and needed renovations to schools.

None of these four measures face any organized opposition as of press time, and both have garnered significant community support since many neighborhood leaders including those with no children in our public schools realize that it is very difficult to maintain vibrant neighborhoods without good public schools.

When parents of school age children are reluctant to move into or remain in a school district that has under-performing schools, it increases home vacancies.  The South Patrol Division of the Kansas City Police Department recently warned residents to keep an eye on neighboring vacant homes to watch out for squatters and copper thieves who will often break into homes to steal copper from HVAC systems that may net them a few hundred dollars but cause thousands of dollars of damage.

The two levy changes only require a simple majority to pass, but the two bond issues require 4/7th voter approval which is a little over 57% even though they do not increase taxes.

Center Question 1 seeks voter approval of a no tax increase $29 million bond issue to renovate and improve district schools and athletic facilities and make needed security upgrades. 

Center Question 2 will modify what funds from its existing property tax levy are used for to provide more funding for school programs and operating costs such as teacher and staff salaries and facility maintenance and to decrease funds currently earmarked for debt service that are no longer needed by the same amount.

Hickman Mills Question 1 seeks voter approval of a no tax increase $20 million bond issue to renovate and improve schools throughout the district and payoff prior obligations that will actually decrease the district’s debt service levy by 30 cents per $100 of assessed valuation of real and personal property over the life of the bonds.

Hickman Mills Question 2 will transfer funds from its current property tax levy no longer needed for debt service to its operating fund for expenses such as teacher salaries and student transportation.  It is expected to generate about $3.4 million more a year for such operating costs without a tax increase.

Leaders of both districts during the campaign have stressed the importance of maintaining competitive teacher salaries with regular pay increases so they can attract and retain the teachers they want to teach our students, not just those who couldn’t find jobs elsewhere. 

(For full disclosure, I serve as chair of the Committee for Better Schools & Neighborhoods that is supporting the two Hickman Mills proposals, and well known community leader Alvin Brooks is co-chair.)