Historic School Tax Increase!

School Bond 4A will bring historic tax increase!

The proposed Kiowa school bond proposal 4A will bring a historic 62% school district tax increase1.  The special school tax will add an additional line entry to annual county tax assessments which will pile on top of the increasing existing district school tax (not a county tax) which already increases 5% annually!  The bond proposal also will enable the local school board to increase “property taxes without limit.”  The school district has no current bond debt but there just doesn’t seem to be enough money for them to spend.  Yet, the district spent $702,000 on a new preschool2(in a flood zone), $48,8393on athletic field lighting (in FEMA flood zone), $100,000 annually on school nurse/psychiatrist, and more.  Per pupil annual costs are currently $16,1724and will sky rocket to almost $20,0005if the new tax passes!  Wow! Your school taxes will go up anyway even without the new school tax!  Private school averages $15,000 statewide.  School board members vacillate as to what will be done with the existing school facilities should the new tax pass admitting they will continue to use the athletic field and either destroy the buildings (including the new preschool?) or use them in some fashion.  Don’t worry, the board probably has a plan for a new athletic field that won’t require dangerous highway crossings to be funded with later tax increases.  The proposed new school will cost over $84 million in totalnot including improvements along the way!  Additionally, non-english speaking students also get ‘free’ education6on local taxpayers dime.  Recent school board meeting notes 7that the school has to make “special accommodations” for transgender students who want to use the wrong bathroom.  Will the new school have specific transgender bathrooms or will biological males be permitted in the girls bathroom?  Will guys be allowed to compete against girls?  All of this is possible with your tax dollars!  Just say NO to new taxes on 4A.

Oct 4, 2024

1Based on ‘Community Property Tax Impact Calculator’ on Kiowaschool.org  and CDE worksheet calculation $1.1 million new tax plus $1.757 million current funding.

2July 2024 Kiowa school board minutes, p.6(O).

3July 19, 2023 Kiowa school board minutes, p.6(C)

4CDE financial calculation worksheet 2024-2025, line 288 GT6

5Projection based on bond debt tax increase and student enrollment.

6 Colorin Colorado(2018), The 1982 U.S. Supreme Court case Plyler v. Doe ruled that undocumented students have a       constitutional right to receive a free, public K-12 education.

7Sept. 2024 Kiowa school board minute minutes p. 5(G).