« New ATLA Ads Target Heather Wilson's Ties With Oil and Big Pharma | Main | New Poll: AG Candidate Gary King Whomping Repub Opponent »
Thursday, August 31, 2006
VOTE YES! on September 19th APS Bond Election
From AFT NM:
APS has not raised taxes in 13 years. The need is here now. On Sept. 19, the Albuquerque Public Schools will ask voters to head to the polls and vote on a $351 million General Obligation Bond to build schools and renovate classrooms.
WHY VOTE YES? The G.O. Bond would provide the district with capital funds to complete the new Northwest and Southwest high schools, build additional schools on the west side and renovate schools across the district. If passed, the money would go to:
- $182 million for growth. Included is $50 million for a new west side elementary school and middle school. Another $115 million would finish the Northwest and Southwest high schools.
- $96 million on facility renovations across the district. Major projects in every cluster will be addressed, as will district issues, like updates to Milne and Wilson stadiums and improvements to the APS Food and Nutrition Services facilities that provides breakfast and lunch for schools. Roofing concerns at several elementary and middle schools also fall under this category.
- Nearly $2.5 million will be used for the implementation of a new student information system, SchoolMax. The system will eventually allow parents to check their student¹s grades and attendance on line.
Passing the G.O. Bond would require those in the district to invest more in the future of APS students, by increasing property tax rates by 5.6 percent. The owner of a $150,000 house would pay an additional $107 per year in taxes.
APS IS DOING THEIR PART! The district isn’t turning to taxpayers without doing everything possible to ease the burden on taxpayers. They are raising funds by selling $8 million worth of property. They also reached an agreement with homebuilders to offset the cost of construction. The deal with the homebuilders is estimated to bring in about $12 million per year to the district.
To learn more about the Sept. 19 G.O. Bond election visit www.voteaps.com or call APS Community Relations at 881-8421.
Sincerely,
Christine Trujillo, President
AFT New Mexico
Early voting has begun at four Albuquerque locations:
- Bernalillo County Clerk's Office at 1 Civic Plaza, 6th floor, downtown
- APS City Center, 6400 Uptown Blvd. NE, near Coronado Mall,
- Seven Bar Elementary School, 4501 Seven Bar Loop NW
- Plaza Ladera, 5300 Sequoia NW, Ste. G
Sites will be open Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM through Friday, September 15.
Absentee voting began August 25th. The last day to request an absentee ballot for this election will be on Thursday, September 14. To request an absentee ballot, please visit the clerk's office or call 468-1291. The ballots must be returned to the clerk's office or your local voting precinct by the close of Election Day, September 19th at 7 PM.
Voter registration for this election has closed. If you are not registered to vote, please contact the Bernalillo County Clerk's Office at 468-1291. Voter registration forms are available at the clerk's office or any public library or Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office.
Where do I vote? It is important that you are registered to vote in the precinct in which you live. To check your precinct or polling location call the County Clerk's office at 468-1291.
August 31, 2006 at 09:51 AM in Education | Permalink
Comments
APS IS DOING THEIR PART! The district isn't turning to taxpayers without doing everything possible to ease the burden on taxpayers. They are raising funds by selling $8 million worth of property. They also reached an agreement with homebuilders to offset the cost of construction.So when do we see a higher level of ACCOUNTABILITY, the taxpayers have traditionally supported almost every bond issue, every tax increase for APS and yet every bond/election cycle they trot out the same long list of ills that more money is supposed to fix. Are we really getting as much bang for the buck that the taxpayers are entitled to?
Posted by: VP | Aug 31, 2006 11:36:50 AM
In today's economic climate, these numbers for construction and repairs are pittances given how much the cost of materials has risen over the last year. Schools need repairs every year and the bonds pay directly for them. Same with construction funds.
Posted by: Roadrunner | Aug 31, 2006 12:29:37 PM
REMEMBER EVERYONE.....
250 MILLION DOLLARS A DAY TO IRAQ.
Think of the scool projects we could have.
Posted by: meb | Aug 31, 2006 12:55:29 PM
Bill Richardson our educational governor underfunded APS. The "year of the child" did not happen. So now APS comes to the tax payers with a tax increase. So of course the Governor is supporting the bond election because it is something he did not accomplish during the 2006 legislative session.
Don't you remember that before the 2006 legislative session the Governor boasted that he would get nearly $300 million in money for new schools, but the lawmakers appropriated a paltry $90 million. After the rejection, APS school board member Robert Lucero infuriated the Guv by calling the session "The Year of the Spaceport," not "The Year of the Child" as touted by Big Bill.
"The Guv will not be dinged much in the upcoming election with his failure to get the critically needed funds to fix school overcrowding. His problem will come in selling his "educational Governor" status in his other campaign. One of his chief rivals is the former Governor of Virginia, who did find a way to build and fix that state's schools. If the Guv can't move New Mexico forward, how can he move America forward?" Questioned the activist.
It's a tough one for the chief exec because TV news has been playing the video where he pledged to come up with the money. The bond plan could be the way out. The Guv has issued executive orders to implement several of his proposals that were killed in Session 06.' Getting desperately needed schools built and fading the political heat in this election year may require him to again do an end run around opposing lawmakers.
And the nerve of him during this campaign trying to blow smoke up the back side of voters as and educational governor.
I also don't think APS is a lean machine either. It's fat. When the current superintendent was first hired, she was given a raise. She accepted a job at a set salary, but our generous school board gave her a raise, no questions asked. Then she was given a raise to bring her up to the national average. If budgets are that tight, how can they do this.
I have to live by a budget. A budget is not a budget, when you decide everytime you want something you just raise taxes (revenues). A budget is living within your means and spending efficiently, being cost effective, and planning.
When I first purchase my property, I paid about $400.00 per year. I purchased the house based on a budget. It was what I could afford. Since being annexed and housing prices increasing, today my taxes are about $1900.00 per year. I wish my income could keep up. What's bad, is if I do not keep up with this I will forfeit my house to the county. When I need more money, I just can't run to my employer and tell him to raise my salary.
We know the city is growing and we know the approximate rate. We know how long schools last and how much it generally costs to maintenance a school. We know how many schools we need for a population. But yet there is a failure to plan in this city and state. We need a new stadium downtown and a remodeled ballpark, before we take care of our educational needs? Education is a real quality of life issue. WE NEED ACCOUNTABILITY!
Posted by: Edward | Sep 16, 2006 12:07:31 AM
