Voters in Colorado school district to decide on $950 million bond; improving, expanding, rebuilding schools

Election Day is about a month away and voters will decide on where their tax dollars are going across Colorado. In November, the Cherry Creek School District is asking for money with two ballot measures.

One measure is a phased-in mill levy increase that will pay for school safety, hiring and keeping teachers, maintaining small class sizes, additional mental health resources and updating technology.

Another question on the ballot is asking voters to approve a $950 million bond, which will help with maintenance work across the district, and expanding and renovating campuses.

The bond also includes expanding the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus, where there is currently a large waitlist for students who want to get into the program.

Steve Day is the campus principal and said there is currently a waitlist of about 300 students hoping to become a student at the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus.

"But we've had to say no, because we're out of space this year," said Day.

If the measure passes in November, the Innovation Campus would double in size and accommodate for 70% more students, giving many more students an opportunity to jumpstart their career.

 "We would go 1,800 students to a little over 3,200 students, so it's a very exciting opportunity. It would also take care of our waitlist in terms of students we currently have, plus many, many more would have opportunities to be here." said Day.

The campus currently offers career pathways in healthcare, advanced manufacturing, business services, hospitality and tourism, infrastructure engineering, or automotive and aviation.

Day said if voters approve the mill and bond package, funding would help add an additional 10 career pathways, to the seven already offered.

"We really need some additional aerospace pathways here. We really need some opportunities in the creative arts. The students really are asking for something there," said Day.

 Additional pathways could also include mechatronics, avionics, EMT, vet tech, HVAC and welding.

Scott Smith, the Chief Financial Officer for Cherry Creek Schools says for both measures, CCSD property owners would face a tax increase of less than $3 a month for each $100,000 property value.

Smith acknowledges that everyone has seen property taxes jump, but the total amount of funding for school districts stays the same.

"The only way that school districts can invest more in their district is to ask their voters," said Smith.

The mill will pay for operational needs like additional teachers and security, while the bond will pay for expanding and renovating campuses. Scott added, if the measures don't pass, the community will see the impacts.

"We should expect class sizes to increase. We should expect elective offerings to be reduced, and we should probably plan on more fees for our parents," said Smith.

Smith added that the costs for school districts have changed dramatically since previous years. Many other Colorado school districts are also asking their voters for additional revenue.

"Think about the demands that are put on schools like universal free meals, free preschool, full-day kindergarten and more. Our costs have changed, and what we're expected to deliver every day is vastly different," said Smith.

Many parents who took a tour of the Innovation Campus on Thursday are supportive of the measure.

"I think anything that is going to help education especially this type of concept. I'm a huge fan," said Craig Goettsche, a father to a CCSD freshman.

"Any time we can brighten the future of our children, I think that's a positive," said Darren Palladino, a father to a CCSD 7th grader.

There is no organized opposition to the two measures, and no "con" statements were submitted for the blue book for the elections.

Ballots get mailed out a week from Friday. 

According to the district's website, new construction and renovations as part of the bond package include:

• Laredo/Smoky Hill Campus: Rebuild Laredo Middle School to meet student and programmatic needs and update SHHS athletic facilities (Phase I
• Prairie Middle School/Overland High School Campus: Build a pool; expand central admissions office; and minor renovations at OHS (Phase I)
• Holly Ridge/Holly Hills: Construct one new PK-5 school to accommodate two schools and meet student and programmatic needs
• Cherry Creek K-12 Campus: Begin process to replace aging and deteriorating buildings on the Cherry Creek PreK-12 campus (Phase I)
• Renovations to athletic facilities on the east side of the district

For more information about the Cherry Creek School mill and bond measures, click here. https://www.cherrycreekschools.org/MillandBond

For more information about the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus, click here. https://www.cherrycreekschools.org/Page/5666

For an interactive may for taxpayers to see their investments made at Cherry Creek Schools dating back to 2012, click here. https://cherrycreekschooldistrict.info/