The Brentwood School is putting Proposition B on the April 3 election, asking voters to approve the district borrowing $16 million for renovations to Brentwood Middle and High schools.
The ballot lists: constructing, renovating, repairing, expanding, improving, furnishing and equipping, for the schools.
According to the ballot language (below), “the adjusted debt service levy of the District is estimated to remain unchanged from the current debt service levy of 42.9 cents” per $100 of assessed valuation.
The school district has been contacted for a clarification — wondering what “unchanged” means here. Is there a current tax? And what does the “estimated” mean to taxpayers?
Shall the Board of Education of the Brentwood School District, St. Louis County, Missouri,borrow money in the amount of Sixteen Million Dollars ($16,000,000) for the purpose ofconstructing, renovating, repairing, expanding, improving, furnishing and equippingschool sites, buildings and related facilities for school purposes in the District, including,but not limited to (1) renovations and additions to the Brentwood Middle School andBrentwood High School complex and (2) Americans with Disabilities Act compliance,heating, ventilation and air conditioning upgrades, electrical upgrades and certainreconfigurations in school buildings and related facilities, and issue general obligationbonds for the payment thereof, resulting in an estimated increase to the debt serviceproperty tax levy of zero cents ($0.00) per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation? If this proposition is approved, the adjusted debt service levy of the District is estimated to remain unchanged from the current debt service levy of 42.9 cents ($0.429) per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation of real and personal property.
The middle and high school desperately needs repairs and renovations. I’d even vote for an increase in taxes, so I’m voting yes on Prop B.
In agreement!
What about the elementary schools?
This is the first phase of a two-phase project. Phase 1 would focus on the middle school and high school complex, and Phase 2 would focus on the elementary schools.
Is the school district going to put out something with more detail?
Yes, more detail will be out by the end of this month, on a dedicated Prop B website, as well as a Facebook page. We’ll explain what the plans are and answer any questions. Stay tuned!
From what I’ve been told, the District is simply renewing a tax increase that already exists. That means that while property taxes won’t be going up, they also won’t be going down (at least for a while). The District plans to use the $16m loan in order to fund a capital improvement project at the BMS/BHS campus.
That’s almost it – this is not a vote to renew any previous tax levy, but rather a vote to allow the school district to borrow money for the renovations.
BTW, the official name is Prop B (as in Building for Brentwood’s Future), not Prop P.