CMIPS Announces Bond Measure Falls Short in Vote
We are disappointed for our students, staff and the Mercer Island Community that based on current trend, we did not achieve the needed 60% hurdle to pass this bond measure.
We knew that it would be challenging to fully communicate a plan of this magnitude to the entire island in such a short time frame; and we are gratified with the community support achieved so far for the bond measure. We will work to understand this vote and what we are hearing as we consider next steps.
We are highly concerned because the capacity crisis remains, and will need to be addressed with increasingly drastic measures as the district rapidly runs out of room for additional portables. Even more concerning is that this vote imposes a delay of unknown length to solving the crisis and removing the daily obstacles to education excellence caused by current overcrowding.
We offer our deepest appreciation and gratitude to those that have worked tirelessly and selflessly for the past 4 years to research, evaluate, create and advocate for this measure: The 21st Century Facilities Planning Committee Volunteers, the School Board, the excellent and unflagging MISD administration, and the many community volunteers who have contributed to the process and the plan. Our thanks as well to our fellow Committee for Mercer Island Public Schools (CMIPS) members.
Finally, we would like to congratulate the Issaquah community, who successfully passed its bond measure to build new schools.
Did You Know? Ballots Must Be Postmarked Today for the School Bonds Measure
Please cast your ballot in support of the Mercer Island Schools Bond TODAY. And ask 10 friends to send in their ballots as well.
Every vote will count in this election. To be sure yours is counted, be sure to sign the envelope so your ballot can be validated, affix postage and postmark by April 17. That’s TODAY!
Call and email 10 friends to invite them to cast their votes. Send them to MI Schools YES to learn more, but be sure to remind them to postmark their ballots by end-of-business today!
Thanks!
Did you know? The Bond Measure Now Has Attracted More Than 1400 Supporters
The Seattle Times has joined the Mercer Island Reporter in endorsing the Bond Measure for Mercer Island Schools, and the supporter count listed on the website has passed 1,400 named endorsers. See Them All Here
The bond measure has attracted the support of a broad bi-partisan slate of community leaders including Rob McKenna, Jane Hague, Steve Litzow, Marcie Maxwell, Dow Constantine, Fred Jarrett, Jay Inslee, Adam Smith, Judy Clibborn, Bruce Bassett, and many others.
“The April bond proposition is bold yet practical. It will help Mercer Island meet the needs of its students and schools for years to come. Strong schools make a strong community, and these bonds will strengthen the entire Mercer Island community.” — Rob McKenna, State Attorney General
“Building six schools during my time as a Renton School Board Director, I know that these new schools are providing improved spaces for quality teaching and learning, better technology access, healthier buildings, and energy savings. Similar to current market conditions, our projects were also smart decisions for local taxpayers who benefited from low construction costs and low interest rates. Our investment in new schools continues to attract families, educators, and businesses to our community!” — Marcie Maxwell, State Representative
“It’s important that voters understand that this measure authorizes the sale of bonds over the four to eight years during which the schools are constructed. Because the bonds will be sold a year at a time when the schools are built, school tax rates will be consistent over the entire construction and repayment period. That’s a prudent, financially sound way to fund this much-needed project.”” — Judy Clibborn, State Representative
Did You Know? Mercer Island Reporter Endorses School Bonds
The Mercer Island Reporter has endorsed the school bonds measure and recommended a YES vote.
Reporter Editor Mary Grady wrote,
“The plans to modernize the schools began some four years ago, as the district looked at the shape of the existing buildings weighted against what educational facilities need to be like in the coming years.
The board hired consultants to help. Later, they wisely enlisted the considerable talent in the community to help them define what was needed and what was possible. Their conclusion was that the most cost-effective way to provide a 21st century education is to rebuild.”
The endorsement of the bond measure considered community reaction to the plan and reservations to it voiced by many. In reviewing these one at at time, Grady weighs the interests of taxpayers, the community as a whole and children educated in our schools today and in the future.
“And what about the cost? It will be a stretch for some taxpayers. When the present school bonds expire in 2015, the new bond will replace it and increase it. For Islanders living in a home worth $1 million, school taxes will increase $700 per year.
On the other hand, Island citizens have an obligation to pay for schools both now and in the future. Part of that obligation is voting for school directors and recognizing that we put those people in place to act in our best interests.”
The endorsement ends with a call to action for voters,
“We need to get started now. We say vote yes.”
Read the full Mercer Island Reporter endorsement here.
Did You Know? The 1990 Failed School Bond Was Costly For Taxpayers
A Failed School Bond Measure
In February 1990, MISD asked voters to go to the polls and approve a large bond measure. The measure failed.
The bond measure would have authorized $49,510,000 in capital bonds for the following projects:
- Demolish and rebuild Lakeridge Elementary
- Major modernization of West Mercer, Island Park, Islander Middle School, and Mercer Island High School.
As a result of the bond failure, the school board broke up the bond package into more easily grasped pieces.
Resubmitted to Voters
- 1993 authorization: $10,945,000 for renovating Islander Middle School: Passed
- 1994 authorization: $16,400,000 for renovating Lakeridge, Island Park and West Mercer: Passed
- 1996 authorization: $26,700,000 for renovating Mercer Island High School: Passed
Let’s Do The Math
Even if you weren’t educated in our fine schools, you should still be able to do this easy math: Taxpayers paid $54,045,000 to renovate five schools. We could have paid 9% less to renovate four schools and gotten a brand new Lakeridge facility. We paid $4.5M more and got less for it.
Had we rebuilt Lakeridge then, we wouldn’t need to spend $30M now to do the same thing, at the same time the other schools need to be expanded and rebuilt.
Had the first bond measure passed, property tax rates would have been predictable instead of choppy and unpredictable.
Penny-wise, Pound-foolish?
Seattle Times reporters at the time interviewed Mercer Island residents who cited the large amount of the 1990 bond request as the reason it failed. Sticker shock turned off voters. The irony is that in the end we taxpayers paid $4.5M more and had much less to show for it.
Let’s Consider 2012
The measure before voters today will authorize $196,275,000 in capital bonds. That is a large number, just like voter perception of the 1990 figure. But there are some differences to consider, and also some advantages to doing it this way, this year:
- MISD plans to sell bonds over a 5-7 year period as funds are needed for each construction phase, not a single bond sale for the entire set of projects. MISD is requesting a single authorization from voters, not a single bond sale. This eliminates going to voters to authorize each individual project, instead asking them to consider the complete package.
- An authorization up front for multiple bond sales enables the district to structure the bonds in a way that will produce flat, predicable rates for taxpayers. In this case, rates for all school taxes together (levies and bonds) would total $3.60 per $1,000 assessed value. That rate would be constant over the life of the bonds. More information on tax rates
- Structuring the financing and construction sequence together enables the district to take advantage of design and contracting leverage, amplified by the attractive interest rates and low construction costs of the current economic climate.
- Bonds to pay for these project would retire right about the time in 25 years when taxpayers will need to consider rebuilding the high school.
- Wall Street values strategic and long-term financial planning. The school district’s AAA bond rating is strengthened and preserved as we demonstrate sound financial stewardship and comprehensive planning.
According to Board President Janet Frohnmayer, “We know the Mercer Island electorate is sophisticated and will see the advantages of a holistic, strategic, long term plan, especially one that reduces the 25-year total cost to the community and keeps tax rates flat and predictable.”
As taxpayers we get a more comprehensive view of both the complete plan for school replacement and the tax impact, and that impact is softened by smooth, predicable rates.
And as we can see from the 1990 example, this is in fact the most prudent solution for taxpayers!
Have You Seen? Visualizing 26 K-8 Portables In Our Schools Today
West Mercer Elementary was built in 1963 and remodeled in 1995. It has a design capacity of 475 students.
Island Park was built in 1957 and remodeled in 1995.
Islander Middle School was built in 1958 and was remodeled and expanded in 1994 and 2000.Did You Know? The School Bond Measure Has Over 1000 Named Supporters
Endorsements of the school bond measure from citizens and community leaders crossed the 1,000 mark today, the Committee for Mercer Island Public Schools (CMIPS) announced. The bond measure is before voters on the April 17th ballot.
Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna, U.S. Representatives Jay Inslee and Adam Smith, State Senator Steve Litzow, State Representatives Judy Clibborn and Marcie Maxwell, King County Executive Dow Constantine, Deputy King County Executive Fred Jarrett, Mayor Bruce Bassett and five other City Council members have endorsed the bond measure, among other community leaders.
The names of all 1,055 endorsers and of CMIPS members can be found at http://mischoolsyes.org.
“We’re very gratified to see the breadth of support we’re finding in the community,” said Carrie George, CMIPS co-chair. “Not only have we crossed the significant mark of 1,000 endorsers, we’re finding that support from across all parts of Mercer Island: seniors, recent graduates, parents, educators and our elected officials. People understand the need to address school overcrowding and the thoughtful planning and comprehensive nature of the solution that is being presented to voters. Once voters see the facts behind the plan, we almost always get their support. We’re also very happy to have the support of more than 40 current and past elected officials at city, county and state levels. These are informed leaders who have their eyes open to the responsible stewardship needed for our award-winning schools.”
CMIPS is a volunteer group of 50 citizens and is registered with the State of Washington as a political committee. CMIPS advocates for Mercer Island school funding and is separate from and financially independent of public schools and taxpayer dollars.
21st Century Learning Requires 21st Century Facilities
If you visit the rebuilt schools in Bellevue, Lake Washington or Issaquah school districts it’s an eye opener. These are modern facilities that support rather than constrain the educational mission. Our “cells and bells” buildings look increasingly outdated and teachers tell us of the constraints in art, music and science instruction they face. Schools built in the 1950s couldn’t anticipate the programs that modern schools require, the flexible learning spaces needed to focus attention on specific student needs. Just look at what our neighboring districts are doing!
Did You Know? The Big Picture of School Funding on Mercer Island
About 2/3 of your property taxes are put toward County, City and Port of Seattle purposes. The remaining 1/3 funds our local schools.
Of the portion going to schools, have you ever wondered how it all adds up?
In 2012 the schools portion amounts to $2.68 per $1,000 of assessed value, the sum of three components from the previous bonds and levies passed by voters.
The Schools Bond Measure before voters on the April 17 ballot will fund the reconstruction of all four K-8 schools on Mercer Island to expand capacity and provided facilities that support the educational mission of the district for the next 50 years.
The bond measure will add $0.70 to next year’s tax rate, or about $58 per month on a home assessed at $1M in value.
For a full explanation of school funding on Mercer Island and comparisons to surrounding districts, click the link below.
Have You Seen? The Inside View of MI School Overcrowding
Parents and educators alike see first-hand the effect of overcrowding on the educational experience. Libraries, gyms, hallways and lunchrooms are doing double and triple duty in our schools. Reading, music and volunteer-led special instruction take place in makeshift settings. Over 600 kids are in portable classrooms and we’re running out of room for more. On top of all that, more kids are on the way!
