The Dolores School District deserves a big CONGRATULATIONS for winning the BEST grant. The grant means that the school district will get $2.6 million if, and only if, the voting public inside the Dolores School Districts attendance boundaries agree to pay $3.4 million in matching funds this November.
Now the real work begins.
In just three months the School District has to convince the voters to agree to pay for the matching funds. This will not be an easy task. If passed, the cost will likely increase property taxes at a minimum of about $4 a month. But it will still be a tough sell. Nationwide, a reported 24 percent of homes are underwater, meaning homeowners owe more on the homes than they are worth. Locally, the pinch has been felt too as many residents have watched their home values plummet over the last six years.
Adding an additional cost, even if it is only $4 a month, may be a tough sell in this market.
But think of it as getting a 40 percent-off coupon. Without it, the district will have to pay full price for a new science building. The current one is substandard. There are many problems with the building, but none so obvious as standing inside and being able to look through cracks in the walls into other classrooms. Without the coupon, taxpayers will likely have to foot the entire bill for new science classrooms, not if, but when the current science building fails. And fail it will, its just a matter of when.
There are reports that the housing market is improving and one way to do that is by offering a stellar school system. Often, potential home buyers look at the school system before buying a home and already our school system is ranked in the top 10 percent of schools in Colorado. Things will look even better if the buildings match the high caliber of the students and teachers.
Dont miss the Dolores School Board meeting on Tuesday, July 24 at 7 p.m. The district needs to put together a campaign committee of up to 50 people to convince the voting public that Dolores Schools are worth investing in.
