On March 20th, 2007, the Douglas County School Board is placing a referendum before the voters asking for a $150,550,000 bond to be repaid over 20 years through property taxes. It is estimated, this bond will result in an increase of the School Board Bond millage rate by 1.75 mills.

If approved by voters, the bond will be used for:

The design, acquisition, construction and equipping of new schools, classroom additions, and renovations to existing educational facilities;

The purchase of land to be used as sites for new educational facilities;

The acquistion of new school buses and transportaion equipment;

The acquisition and installation of new computers, technology and equipment at educational facilities;

The cost of capitalizing interest on the bonds through April 1, 2008; and

All expenses incident to accomplishing the foregoing.

The estimated expenses are:

One new high school with a capacity of 2000 students
$64,256,000

One new middle school with a capacity of 1250 students
$35,160,000

One new elemetary school with a capacity of 850 students
$19,305,000

A second new elemetary school with a capacity of 850 students
$19,305,000

Technology upgrades and additional school buses
$6,948,602

Amount left over for land purchases, capitalization expenses and fees, and renovations of existing facilities:
$5,575,398

The school board is under no obligation to complete the proposed projects, and cost overruns in any area may result in deficencies in the remaining projects, which could be made up through additional taxes.  The locations of the proposed schools are unknown, however school district lines will be redrawn when the schools become operational.  It has also been stated that these new facilities will be at full capacity when completed, with mobile classrooms to be located at all new schools.

The proposed bond only provides the funds for the construction of these facilities.  Staffing of the facilities will come from the School Board's Maintenance and Operational budget.  The School Board's M&O property tax millage rate is currently 19.4 mills and has a maximum rate cap at 20 mills set by state law.  The School Board may ask voters to raise or remove this cap in order to impose a millage rate that exceeds 20 mills.