Q: What is a bond issue?
A: A “general obligation bond issue” is a debt of the School District that is payable from taxes against property within the School District. The proceeds the District receives from the sale of the general obligation bonds will be used to pay the costs of various capital improvements to District facilities. Principal and Interest payments come from an annual “debt service property tax levy” that is levied against all property within the boundaries of the District.
Q: What will the cost be for taxpayers?
A: This bond issue requires no tax rate increase.
Q: What is required to pass the ballot issues?
A: In order for the no tax rate increase bond to pass, two-thirds super-majority (66.67%) is required.
Q: How will the no tax rate increase bond issue appear on the February 6 ballot?
A: QUESTION 1
Shall Reorganized School District No. 4 of Jackson County, Missouri (Blue Springs, Missouri), issue its general obligation bonds in the amount of $100,000,000 for the purpose of constructing a Career and Innovation Center, constructing performing arts facilities at each middle school that will also serve as storm shelters, constructing classroom additions at certain elementary schools and acquiring, constructing, improving, extending, repairing, remodeling, renovating, furnishing and equipping new and existing school facilities and acquiring land therefor?
If this question is approved, the debt service property tax levy of the school district is estimated to remain unchanged at $1.0875 per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation of real and personal property.
Q: What would the no tax rate increase bond issue pay for?
A: Build a state-of-the-art Career Innovation Center at its current site on Vesper Street to house programs for all high school students including Health Sciences, Physical Therapy, Business and Entrepreneurship, Gaming and Technology, Aviation, Culinary Arts, and Hospitality, to name a few.
A performing arts space/high wind shelter would be added to all four middle schools.
Additional elementary office space at Franklin Smith, James Walker, and William Yates Elementary schools to accommodate the changing staff needs including more counselors, mental health professionals, social workers, and assistant principals. Additional classrooms would be built at William Yates Elementary to address growth and space limitations. Franklin Smith would receive new windows and a facade update.
Q: How did the district prioritize the proposed projects?
A: In 2022, BSSD created a 10-Year Facilities Plan. Areas of high need from the plan were presented to the Citizen’s Advisory Committee, who ranked the projects and provided feedback. A second phase including an additional bond issue is necessary in the future to address elementary projects and phase II of the Career Innovation Center.
Q: What would the timeline be for the proposed projects?
A: Projects would begin as soon the bond passes. The CIC would be complete in August of 2026. Middle school additions will open in August of 2025. The other projects should be finished during the 2024-2025 school year.