Can You Afford Another Property Tax Hike?

Do You Want Another Record-Setting Bond Issue On Your Home?

Twelve Key Facts You Need To Know, and Why You Should Vote No on May 6 (as of this moment, the date of the election is not known)

1. Your property taxes will be raised to fund six new swimming pools, 56 new tennis courts, several new football stadiums, and numerous other sports facilities
2. Student enrollment is declining. In the 2000-01 school year Wichita public schools’ headcount enrollment was 49,100 students. In 2006-07 this had declined to 48,770. State of Kansas enrollment figures show a larger decline in students during the same six years.
3. Wichita public school district's property tax mill levy has grown rapidly. So has spending on facilities. A decade ago the mill levy was 37 mills. Today the mill levy exceeds 53 mills. That’s an increase of over 40 percent.
4. The tax rate for commercial property owners and renters is 2.2 times that of homeowners.
5. Wichita public school district claims that “500+ new classrooms” were built with the 2000 bond issue funds. There was supposed to be space for 2,550 additional students added with the 2000 bond issue. Since enrollment has declined, why not redraw school boundaries in the few schools at capacity instead of raising taxes? School boundaries will have to be redrawn anyway if new schools are built.
6. School spending on facilities is soaring. In 1999-2000 USD 259 spent $10.9 million on capital expenditures, bonds, and interest. In 2006-07 Wichita schools spent $55.9 million for capital expenditures, bonds, and interest.
7. The cost of this proposed bond issue on a $100,000 home over 20 years exceeds $1,700. Commercial and utility property will pay even more. The increased costs that business and utilities must bear will be passed on to their customers.
8. The Wichita public school district is battling over their boundary with the Circle school district. This boundary battle must be resolved before it is possible to determine what school facilities will be needed.
9. Bond interest and underwriting costs are huge. The total cost to taxpayers for the 2000 bond issue when all costs are included now exceeds $416 million. The total cost of the 2000 bond issue as well as this bond issue exceeds $1 billion! This is over $20,000 per pupil. A bond issue is like adding another mortgage to your home.
10. At the end of the last school year, USD 259 had unencumbered cash balance of over $77 million of your tax dollars. That is plenty of money for any necessary capital expenditures.
11. The Kansas Department of Education reports 45,232 Full Time Equivalent enrollment in the Wichita public school district and spending of $544 million or $12,035 per pupil per year (2006 – 2007).
12. Wichita Public Schools are only at 83 percent of capacity, according to the school district’s 2007 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. That’s room for over 6,000 more students!