Nope. That is NOT a typo. Imagine what I thought when this number was floated to me today. I guess the Facilities task force met last night, and this was the number the administration put out there.
Can you imagine if all $278 million was approved what the increase in your property taxes would be each year? My best estimates for homes under $150K would be around $100 and ones valued over $300K would be around $500.
WOW!
Of course, if this was put to a vote, the entire $278 would never pass, they would really have to scale this back, by AT LEAST $100 million.
But what if it didn’t go to a vote? A 60% threshold for a bond vote would be hard to get, even if that amount was $178 million. There is a rumor going around that the School Board is going to try to avoid a public vote and pass this on their own. There of course would be an almost instantaneous petition drive, and I guarantee the petitioners would get their signatures in a matter of days.
A better approach is to sell the public on a more modest plan that would have voters support, and put it to that vote. I would literally be scared for my wellbeing if I sat on the school board and passed this through without voter approval. The school board has shown an enormous amount of arrogance over the past decade when it comes to tax increases, and this will take the cake if they don’t let the public decide this very expensive improvement.
The next meeting is Wednesday, May 16th from 5:30 to 8 PM at the IPC. The agenda will include City of Sioux Falls Planning Director Mike Cooper (who is on the task force) presenting population projections, what projects the task force thinks the public will accept and the BIG Question, how to pay for all of this.
The fourth meeting is May 30th, from 5:30-8 PM finalizing the report. They are working with the Donovan Group.