Among MVR-III Programs at risk if Prop E fails are ROTC, band, art, music, extra curricular sports, and vocational programs
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By Pauline Masson –
Members of a school district tax levy committee, say if the school district has to compete with a bond issue tax increase for a new swimming pool on the August 8 election ballot, both may lose.
The MVR-III School District will place Prop E, a 56-cent operating levy tax increase on the August 8 ballot to continue important programs now available to students. If the city swimming pool bond issue is on the same ballot, both issues are at risk, Prop E supporters said.
Speaking at the May 15 city administrative committee meeting, Sarah Grodie pleaded with the committee to recommend to the full board of aldermen to not place the 29-cent swimming pool bond issue on same ballot with the district tax levy.
Ms. Grodie, her husband Josh, principal of Pacific Intermediate School and Julie George, representing the Prop E Committee spoke to the city administrative committee, May 15, asking the city to postpone the swimming pool bond issue.
“We are not against the pool,” she said. “We are fully supportive of a new pool to benefit kids and attract new people to the community. But we are operating in $2.5 million deficit.
“If the district does not get the tax levy approved, we are cutting programs,” Ms. Grodie said. “We (the district) have not had a bond issue or tax levy increase since 2004. It is dire for us to move now and get on the August ballot,”
Wthout the extra revenue, ROTC, band, art, music, extra curriculars ports, and vocational programs are all at risk.
“Just as a parent I think it’s critical for the committee to know how critical this is,” Mr. Grodie said. “Without the tax levy, these are programs that our children will be unable to take advantage of.”
“This is not a threat,” Ms. Grodie added. “It is really a sad state of affairs. We’re not asking not to do the pool. We’re asking just to postpone.”
Aldermen Debbie Kelley, who called for the administrative committee to discuss the pool bond issue, said there are additional reasons for the city to skip the August 8 election and do a more thorough preparation to approach voters in a later election.
“I was under the impression we were going to have a budget meeting and have money in our city budget to help pay for this pool, Ms. Kelley said. “It looks like we’re signing an open check for this amount to be put on the ballot and we’re stuck with that amount.”
She also questioned the city administrator’s notes that the city would begin to make expenditures on adoption of the ordinance to place bond issue on the ballot.
“Why would we start spending money prior to it being approved by the citizens?” She asked. “How would we gain that money back if something happened and it did not pass?”
She also had concerns about the justification that the park board had approved the plans to proceed.
“I understand it went to the park board. I also understand that your park board consists of three people,” she said. “There are more people in the community that reached out to me just last week, voicing some concerns.”
Among citizens questions were the elimination of a promised kiddie pool and whether the public could use other sections of the pool when the swim team section was in use.
“I think the public has a right to have these quuestions answered,” she said.
With a motion by Ms. Kelley and second by JamesCleeve, who was elected administrative committee chair, the committee voted to 2-0 to recommend that the bond issue suggested for the August 8 ballot be postponed until the November election. Kelley and Cleeve cast the yes votes. Rafael Madrigal abstained.
The committe will also recommend that the city ask citizens to attend a town hall meeting withn the coming weeks to help determine the size and scope of the new pool.
