Jeffco Schools
Jeffco voters to decide on $133 million tax increase
Jefferson County voters will decide in November whether to approve $133 million in tax increases to boost teacher salaries and repair schools. The Jeffco school board voted unanimously to put two measures on the November 3 ballot, which would increase property taxes by about $42 per year on every $100,000 of a home's value.
Background
The measures come at a crucial time for Jeffco Public Schools, which is facing a continued budget deficit due to declining enrollment and other factors. If the overrides fail, district leaders say it's likely Jeffco will have to close more schools, lay off staff, or freeze salaries. According to board member Denine Echevarria, if the measures don't pass, the district could face additional reductions, leading to more hardships for staff, families, and school communities.
Proposed Measures
The two measures are called mill levy overrides. Measure 5A is a $73 million mill levy override to increase pay for teachers, principals, and school support staff, as well as fund more career and technical education classes. Measure 5B is a $60 million mill levy override to fund building maintenance projects, including repair of parking lots, replacement of leaky roofs, and fixing of heating and cooling systems. The measures would also pay to replace aging technology and improve school security systems.
| Measure | Amount | Allocation |
|---|---|---|
| 5A | $73 million | $15 million for promised pay increases, $39.5 million for future salary boosts, $10 million for career and technical education, $8.5 million for charter schools |
| 5B | $60 million | building maintenance projects, replacement of aging technology, improvement of school security systems, $7 million for charter schools |
Student Support
Students urged the board to put the measures on the ballot, citing concerns about large class sizes and limited resources. Kris Clark, a Chatfield High School junior, said his class sizes were immensely larger, with 31 students in each of his classes. Lucia Rubino, a junior at Lakewood High, said families face higher activities fees this year, which could prevent some students from participating. Gavin Vahle, a senior at Dakota Ridge High, emphasized the importance of rigorous and relevant career and technical education classes.
According to the United States Census Bureau, only 26% of Jefferson County households have children, which could impact the outcome of the vote. The last time Jeffco voters approved a mill levy override was in 2018 for $33 million. As reported by Chalkbeat Colorado, board Vice President Erin Kenworthy acknowledged the district faces several hurdles to passing the measures, including skepticism about how it spent the money from the last voter-approved tax increase.
