Letter from John Detweiler re: School Bond and upcoming levy

As I read the documentation on the Corvallis School District website, the District wants to sell $200M in bonds to finance $192M in improvements specified in a list contained in the Long Range Facilities Plan Costs -- 1/11/18 as reduced by the School Board on 1/17/18. Selling $200M in bonds will result in a tax rate of $1.98/$1000 of assessed value. The improvements range from replacing whole buildings to creating or improving family support spaces. This fall Corvallis intends to ask the voter to fund an $8M local option levy that will result in a tax rate of $1.70/$1000. Both measures are designed to replace older measures and if approved will raise our taxes. If they are voted down, our property taxes will actually be reduced.

The voter should remember that Benton County is studying the criminal justice system. Next year we may be asked to fund a criminal justice center, and other facilities, replacing both the courthouse and jail. The voter needs to balance the value of school system improvements and city programs, with possible new criminal justice improvements, set priorities and make choices keeping in mind that they will pay for their choices either in property taxes or in rent.

I encourage the voter to vote down both the school bond and the upcoming levy, which can be scheduled for next year after the County completes its study. That way the voters can make choices according to their own priorities.

Read more at John H. Detweiler web page