Peñasco schools GO bond to reappear on Nov. 7 ballot
As the Nov. 7 regular local election approaches, voters will find more than just candidates on the ballot.
Voters countywide will be asked to consider a .5 percent gross receipts tax increase to fund Holy Cross Medical Center, as well as a bond initiative for the reconstruction of the Peñasco Independent School District’s campus and facilities.
According to Melissa Sandoval, superintendent for the Peñasco district, the general obligation bond will kick-start the wholesale replacement of the current campus, which was built to house 1,700 students. At the moment, the district has less than 300 students enrolled.
Right-sizing the campus is one issue; another issue is code enforcement. The current school facilities don’t even have fire suppression systems in place.
Amid a plethora of other problems, including mold and a lack of heating, the district has come to the conclusion that a bond initiative would be the best way to go.
“The district will never be able to come up with the funds that it needs to repair all of the needs,” Sandoval said. “Based on our latest facilities master plan, in order to address all of the issues that our current facilities have, it would be upward of $15 million. Therefore, it’s cheaper for the district and community to pass the bond.”
If the bond passes, $2.5 million will have to be raised by the Peñasco community, and this will come from an increase in property taxes. The rest of the $35 million project would be funded by the state.
The proposed tax increase led to outcry from some in the community, where a large percentage are elderly individuals on a fixed income. The bond was initially put forth in a special mail-in election May 9, but the final count found the “nays” had 13 more votes. Since it failed to pass in May, the district revised their approach toward public education on the topic and requested it be placed on the regular local election ballot.
According to the Peñasco School District’s website, the tax increase will depend on the taxable value of an individual’s property. For example, if the taxable property value is $20,000, the yearly tax increase will be $88. If the taxable property value is $50,000, the yearly tax increase will be $220. The tax tables are available on the district website under the “GO Bond Election” tab. Since May, Sandoval and those on the board of education have been doing public outreach, going to different community centers in the area and giving informational talks about the bond. If it passes, Sandoval hopes to see a campus that’s more accommodating for their students and programs.
“What we’re trying to do is invest in our community and invest in our future, which are our kids,” Sandoval said. “This is not a one-year solution. This is an investment for another 50-60 years that are going to contribute to the well-being of our community. The school is the hub, I believe, of our community, and I think our kids deserve to be in a place that they are comfortable in.”