School Bond Information, April 6, 2004 Election

Dear Anchorage voters:

Thank you for recognizing the importance of major maintenance in our schools and supporting Proposition 4. Your support allows us to protect the community's investment in school infrastructure and extend the life of our facilities.

While voters supported Proposition 4, most said "no" to Proposition 5, which included school construction projects. I strongly believe in the public process and recognize that this bond package was not the right set of projects at this time. However, our school construction needs have not gone away. Students are still attending crowded, outdated schools.

And while our needs haven't gone away, the offer of State debt reimbursement soon will.

The legislative program that reimburses 60 percent to 70 percent of the total cost of school construction projects ends on December 31, 2004. State debt reimbursement significantly reduces the amount local tax payers spend on these projects. Only projects approved before the end of the year qualify for this program. It would be irresponsible for the district to ignore the benefits of debt reimbursement.

Clearly, Proposition 5 was not acceptable to voters. I hope to find out why voters turned down the proposition. Was the proposition simply too large? Were there individual projects within Proposition 5 that voters felt were important, but others that they felt didn't merit approval? Was debt reimbursement too uncertain? Would voters like to capture the debt reimbursement on some projects by holding a special election in the fall? As always, I want to hear what you have to say. Your input is a critical part of my decision making process and that of the school board. Please give us your suggestions through our Web site or by calling my office at 742-4312.

I have heard the voters on the matter of the district owning an administration building. I have no intention of placing this project on the ballot again. We can still gain efficiencies by consolidating our rented facilities and I'm considering all options. We'll continue to pursue that project and all others that save taxpayers' money and put valuable resources into the classroom.

Most sincerely,
Carol Comeau, Superintendent

(Documents provided here are PDF files and require the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view.  )

The Bond proposal package is comprised of:
	Proposition 4 - Repairs, Renewals and Equipment -- $36,380,000	Bond overview
	Proposition 5 - School Renovations, Construction and Site Acquisition -- $95,830,000
	Proposition 6 - Administrative and Training Facility -- $30,000,000
Other resources: Map of projects | Frequently asked questions | Projects by school

Local tax impact