SPS gets green light for $72M bond issue

Voters yesterday approved two ballot issues providing increased funding for Springfield Public Schools.

Proposition Classrooms for Kids, which had been opposed by Minorities in Business and supported by the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, was approved with 11,605 votes, or 65 percent, according to the county election results.

The initiative allows the school district to issue $71.65 million in general obligation bonds to construct new buildings and purchase land; improve, repair, renovate and acquire buildings; implement technology improvements; and furnish and equip school buildings, according to the ballot language.

According to SpringfieldPublicSchoolsMo.org, bonds would provide:

• $19.25 million to renovate Kickapoo High School;
• $17.8 million to build a new elementary school in southwest Springfield;
• $16 million to improve technology in the district;
• $13.5 million to expand Fremont Elementary School;
• $4 million to renovate Glendale High School; and
• $1.1 million to add four elementary classrooms to Hickory Hills K-8 School. 

Proposition Teachers for Kids was passed with 9,878 votes, or 56 percent. The proposition allows the SPS Board of Education to increase its operating tax levy ceiling by 10 cents per $100 of assessed valuation for tax year 2013 and an additional 10 cents per $100 of assessed valuation for tax year 2014. The operating levy of the district is estimated at $3.29 in 2013 and $3.39 in 2014.

With the increased funding, SPS plans to pay the operating costs of maintaing class sizes, staff and teacher salaries.

Voters also approved two board of education members: Annie Busch, retired executive director of the Springfield-Greene County Library, with 11,662 votes, or 42 percent; and Gerry Lee, owner of The UPS Store and a management consultant with the American Public Gas Association, with 9,224 votes, or 33 percent. A third candidate, Matthew Simpson, received 7,020 votes, or 25 percent.[[In-content Ad]]