No-tax-increase bond proposal
On Nov. 3, 2009, Springfield Public Schools will ask voters to
approve a no-tax-increase bond issue that will
leverage federal stimulus money to fund air conditioning, construction & improvements and technology.
Without increasing the current tax rate, Springfield residents can invest $50 million in our schools to create
quality learning environments for all students.
Why now?
To maximize resources.
Approving a bond issue in November will save Springfield taxpayers millions of dollars in interest because SPS will be able to access $5 million to $7 million in interest-free bonds available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These interest-free bonds, along with the district’s current bonding capacity and available debt-service funds, enable SPS to request a $50 million bond without having to increase the current tax.
To fulfill a promise.
With this bond issue, SPS will satisfy its pledge to air condition every school in the district. Air conditioning the remaining eight schools will complete the effort initiated a decade ago to achieve equity in the quality of learning environment available to students in every part of our community.
To invest in our community.
Quality schools create a quality community. The proposed bond projects will strengthen our community by upgrading schools in all areas of the district. This investment in our community will also create employment opportunities and generate demand for raw materials and supplies for local businesses. As intended by the stimulus package, the majority of the $50 million will be spent locally to employ contractors and laborers and purchase materials and supplies required to complete the proposed projects.
Who will benefit from improvements?
Air conditioning
- Boyd, Robberson, Rountree, Sunshine and York elementary schools
- Jarrett and Reed middle schools
- Phelps Center for the Gifted
- Tefft Center
Construction & improvements
- Hillcrest High School: electrical upgrade; auditorium remodel; restroom remodel; improvements to technology infrastructure; elevator installation in gymnasium; enclosed walkway between gymnasium and main building; kitchen improvements; roof, ceiling, floor tile and hot water pipe repairs and replacements; and stadium lighting.
- Westport Elementary School: A kindergarten through 8th grade campus will be developed at the current Westport site to combine the two schools. This will allow alternative programs to move to the Study building, saving more than $3 million, the cost to air condition and maintain the three buildings where they are currently housed, and creating room to serve more at-risk students.
- Hickory Hills School: Construction of a new school, scheduled to be complete in December 2009, is currently being funded via lease participation certificates. A portion of this bond will provide the principal necessary to retire those lease participation certificates, saving interest and freeing up operating revenue.
- Jeffries Elementary School: addition of a gymnasium with a high-school sized court. The 10,000- to 11,0000-square-foot addition will include new restrooms and a corridor to connect the gym to the school building.
- Glendale High School: electrical and technology infrastructure upgrades, installation of new stadium bleachers and new stadium lighting.
- Kickapoo High School: installation of new stadium lighting.
Technology
- Every classroom in the district will be equipped with an LCD projector and interactive whiteboard.
- Aging student computers will be replaced as needed with N-computing units, a computer processing unit which can operate multiple student workstations. This will decrease related utility, maintenance and support costs.
How will the $50 million be allocated?
| Air conditioning | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Site | Estimated Cost | Description of work | Subtotals |
| Boyd Elementary School | $1,210,000 | Air conditioning | |
| Jarrett Middle School | $3,190,000 | Air conditioning | |
| Phelps Center for Gifted Education | $1,408,000 | Air conditioning | |
| Reed Middle School | $3,190,000 | Air conditioning | |
| Robberson Elementary School | $2,090,000 | Air conditioning + windows | |
| Rountree Elementary School | $1,760,000 | Air conditioning | |
| Sunshine Elementary School | $1,485,000 | Air conditioning | |
| Tefft Center | $892,500 | Air conditioning | |
| York Elementary School | $2,090,000 | Air conditioning + windows | |
| Air conditioning projects | $17,315,500 | ||
| Construction & improvements | |||
| Hillcrest High School | $7,400,000 | Electrical and technology infrastructure upgrade; auditorium remodel; restroom remodel; elevator installation in gymnasium; enclose walkway between gym and main building; kitchen improvements; roof, ceiling, floor tile and hot water pipe repairs and replacements; and stadium lighting. | |
| Westport Elementary School | $9,354,000 | Expand to K-8 campus to accommodate Study Middle School students. Close Bailey, Berry and Pepperdine buildings and relocate alternative programs to Study. | |
| Glendale High School | $1,450,000 | Electrical and technology infrastructure upgrades and installation of new stadium bleachers. | |
| Jeffries | $2,650,000 | Construct gymnasium with a high-school sized court. Addition will include restrooms and connecting corridor. | |
| Glendale, Kickapoo high schools | $330,500 | Install new stadium lighting. | |
| Hickory Hills Elementary & Middle School* | $9,000,000 | Retire lease participation certificates currently being used to fund construction of new Hickory Hills School. | |
| Construction projects | $30,184,500 | ||
| Technology | |||
| All schools | $2,500,000 | Purchase and install LCD projectors, interactive whiteboards; replace aging computers with N-computing units as necessary. | |
| Technology projects | $2,500,000 | ||
| All 2009 bond projects | $50,000,000 | ||
| * Full funding of this project is dependent upon the district qualifying for the estimated $5 million to $7 million in interest-free bonds available through the federal stimulus program. If a lesser amount is allocated to the district, funding for this project will be reduced by the same amount. |
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What is a no-tax-rate-increase bond issue?
Approving a new bond issue will not increase the current tax rate for Springfield residents. It will extend the existing 51-cent debt-service levy to 2030. Voting against the bond will not result in an immediate decrease in taxes.
In 2006 voters authorized the current debt-service levy to fund capital improvement projects like air conditioning schools and building Harrison Elementary School. It will likely be paid off in 2026. Extending that levy to 2030 will allow the district to issue up to $50 million in bonds to pay for additional building improvement projects.
Springfield Public Schools has one the lowest tax levies in Missouri. Currently the district's total levy is $3.6223. Of the 22 Missouri school districts with enrollments greater than 8,000 students, SPS, with an enrollment of about 24,000, has the third lowest levy in the state.
Nov. 3 ballot language
The question:
Shall The School District of Springfield R-12, Springfield, Missouri, issue its general obligation bonds in the amount of $50,000,000, a portion of which would include qualified school construction bonds to be issued under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Stimulus Act), for the purpose of (1) air conditioning school buildings, (2) making improvements to Hillcrest High School and other school facilities, to include acquiring, improving, repairing and renovating existing buildings, (3) acquiring title to school facilities by paying off lease obligations, and (4) furnishing and equipping school buildings?
If this question is approved, the District’s debt service tax levy is projected to remain unchanged at the current levy of $0.51 per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation.
What is the status of previous bond projects?
All 2006 bond projects are complete or substantially complete, including air conditioning 18 schools, construction of David Harrison Elementary School and renovation of Cherokee Middle School.
SPS has an outstanding track record with stakeholders when it comes to management of bond funds and projects. In 2009, a survey indicated that 75 percent are satisfied with management of the 2006 bond projects.
In fact, the district’s effective management of the 2006 bond projects and wise financial decisions enabled SPS to deliver more than originally promised on the 2006 bond initiative. As a result SPS was able to fund additional facility improvements including air conditioning three more schools than originally promised and paying for approximately half the cost of the new Hickory Hills School.
Bond informational materials
List of proposed bond projects