Boise, ID -- 11/15/16 -- The Boise School Board of Trustees has voted unanimously to approve a Tuesday, March 14, 2017 Bond election. If approved by voters, the bond will allow the District to reinvest in our local schools and community without raising the current tax rate.
As a result of considerable community input and engagement, Board members on Monday, November 14, 2016 approved a $172.5 million bond election to fund a 10-year
Educational Facilities Master Plan
. Several parents and patrons testified in support of the bond.
"This bond allows us to reinvest in strong neighborhood schools without raising the tax rate," said Melissa Goode, a parent of three Boise school students. It's accountable and addresses critical facility problems now so they don't cost taxpayers more later."
The bond would put more than $155 million into 22 major capital projects, including building six new schools on their current sites, a new school in the Harris Ranch area, as well as expansion of the District's Professional-Technical center to offer Electrical, Plumbing and Heating-Air Conditioning job training classes.
"I don't know how we can continue to educate our kids without investing more into the facilities and the things that they have," said Marty Cullen, owner of A1 Plumbing and Perfect Air. "We also have a skills gap in the trades. I believe this bond will address these issues."
One of the schools to be rebuilt is Amity Elementary. Built in 1979, the school's design, including sod on the side and roof has created serious structural issues.
"Any time the weather turns and starts to rain or snow the roof leaks throughout the building causing Amity to become unseasonably humid," said Tessa Jones, whose children attend Amity. "In addition to the roof leaking, when I drop off my kids after a heavy rain the parking lot is flooded to the point that they need to be carried out of the car to avoid the deep water."
Parents from Pierce Park Elementary and Valley View Elementary also provided supportive testimony.
