Community member hopes second time lucky for upcoming KCKPS bond proposal

KSHB 41’s Rachel Henderson covers neighborhoods in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. Share your story idea with Rachel.

—

As the November election approaches, a vote on a $180 million bond issue that Kansas City, Kansas, public schools will spend on renovating schools and constructing new buildings comes closer.

The Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Education approved a bond issue Aug. 13 that will build three new schools, including an expansion of the Sumner Academy of Arts and Science.

The proposal comes after an unsuccessful $420 million bond proposal filed in May that would have built five new schools, an aquatics center, a new library branch and other improvements.

Charlie Keegan/KSHB 41

Community members cited a variety of reasons for voting no, including a dislike of a proposal that would increase the already high tax burden on Wyandotte County residents.

Another reason was the desire to improve student educational outcomes, which also came up in discussions about the district’s former partial accreditation status.

But community members like Liz Freeman see the new proposal as an opportunity to make much-needed improvements to buildings that have been left untouched since May and are still in need of repairs.

Jack McCormick/KSHB 41

“These buildings are in dire need of major upgrades, some of which haven’t been done since I was there,” Freeman said.

Freeman, a Sumner Academy graduate and former USD 500 student, says she was not long ago in the same boat that many of her students are in now, including her 6-year-old nephew, Luciano.

Jack McCormick/KSHB 41

“Luciano, he’s outgoing, he’s rambunctious, but he’s six years old,” Freeman said. “He can’t take care of himself, so that’s my role as his aunt, as a member of his community.”

Freeman got involved with the Committee For A Stronger Future, an advisory group of parents, teachers, community members and district stakeholders that urged voters to vote yes in May.

“Voting against this proposal won’t really impact your taxes, but it will impact our students, and I think that’s the biggest difference from the spring,” Freeman said.

A key difference between the May and November elections — besides the bond amount — is that $180 million in bonds is tax-free.

“If you vote yes, you won’t have a tax increase, but if you vote no, you won’t have a tax cut,” Freeman said. “It’s an investment in the future of our community.”

According to the district’s website, the bond is designed to focus on five schools that need the most updated or newest construction. That, combined with general maintenance, is why the bond and interest will increase by 2.5 mills.

A mill is a calculation related to the mill tax, which is the tax rate applied to the assessed value of a property. One mill is one dollar for every $1,000 of assessed value. The local portion funds area services, and the state portion funds public schools, such as KCKPS.

According to the district’s website, KCKPS plans to offset the cost of the bond through a tax rate reduction for the library and capital expenditures, which will not increase the burden on taxpayers.

“This time, with the presidential election happening at the same time, I hope more people will show up, more people will be able to vote, and most importantly, more people will be able to support our students with their vote,” Freeman said.

Freeman believes voter turnout and the fact that May’s election was on a single issue also influenced the result.

Her message to other community members, parents and other stakeholders is to understand that academic advancement and improved quality of life can go hand in hand, and that the entire community can benefit from improved morale.

Jack McCormick/KSHB 41

“Our students deserve those same resources, and if this bond can do that, then I think the most important thing is to be able to promote it and support it, knowing that it gives our students an advantage,” Freeman said. “We take care of our homes, we take care of our cars, we take care of the things that are ours because we take pride in them, so I think that applies to our schools as well.”

The district is hosting a community bond presentation on Monday, Sept. 23, where Superintendent Dr. Anna Stubblefield will explain the proposed bond and its details to the community. It will be held at Sumner Academy from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

—