Board will push bond plan again

Teresa Hinds

Wednesday, June 26, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

The Clark County School Board plans to resubmit its two-part school bond proposal to the Debt Management Commission, arguing that the public should have the right to vote on the measure.

The Debt Management Commission voted June 13 to deny placement of the school bond on the Nov. 5 ballot. Commissioners said approval of the full $816 million bond would push the tax rate close to the state-mandated cap and prevent bond issues for other needs such as water and sewer facilities.

The commission, indicating it would support Part A of the school bond ($643 million), instructed the School Board to come back with a new proposal at the debt panel's July 8 meeting.

The School Board, however, voted unanimously Tuesday night to send both parts back to the bond panel.

But some board members voted with reservation, expressing concerns about the structure of the package. Questions were raised as to whether the $643 million in Part A could adequately address the need for more middle schools in the fast-growing district.

If passed, Part A would build one new middle school. The $173 million Part B of the bond question promises construction of five new middle schools.

"I'm against the bond issue as it is presently written," board member Judy Witt said. "I questioned (the structure of the package) when it came out.

"What I'm in awe of is, we've had this proposal before us for months and months, and we've had no discussion about this."

Taking into consideration the public may only approve Part A if both parts are placed on the ballot, or that the Debt Management Commission may only allow the $643 million question be put before the voters, board members agreed the package must be rewritten so Part A would accommodate growth.

Witt also expressed concern about the short time frame to restructure the bond package before a July 15 deadline to have the correct wording of the measure submitted to the Clark County registrar of voters.

"There's just not enough time to meet, reconfigure the entire thing and get it done before the deadline," Witt said.

Board member Jeff Burr was adamant that a two-part package be sent back to the Debt Management Commission, and urged the board to "go back and argue as best we can for both parts A and B."

"I feel this board needs to present to the public the option" of voting on both parts, Burr said. "To deny them that option this fall would be a grave mistake, because we'll have to go back to them in another two years" with another bond proposal.

Witt, James McMillan, Howard Hollingsworth and President Larry Mason agreed the public should be given the choice of voting for or against the bond question.

"We should let the public decide on whether they want to spend money to educate our children or not," McMillan said.