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Lakeview schools outline $44.1 million November bond; district says no tax levy increase
Summary
Lakeview Superintendent Carl Paulson presented the district’s proposed $44.1 million bond for the Nov. 4 ballot, saying the bond would fund HVAC replacements, technology, roofs, parking and other projects across seven campuses and would not raise the district’s tax levy.
Lakeview Community Schools Superintendent Carl Paulson briefed the St. Clair Shores City Council on Sept. 15 about a proposed $44.1 million bond the district will ask voters to approve on Nov. 4.
Paulson said the bond would fund capital needs over about six years, including classroom, gym and office heating and cooling replacements, technology cabling and devices, roof work at multiple sites, parking-lot repairs, renovation of early-childhood facilities and replacement of the Jefferson High School tennis courts, which the superintendent described as a significant community-use asset.
Paulson emphasized the district’s financial management record and said the proposal is structured as a “no tax levy increase” bond; current levy figures discussed were about 6.15 mills and staff projections suggest carrying approximately 6.5 mills going forward, according to Paulson’s presentation. He said the district’s financial consultant prepared conservative taxable-value projections and that the district has a record of “promises made, promises kept.”
Paulson invited the community to an informational meeting at the Wheat campus (Harper and Wheat) the next Monday at 6:30 p.m. He said a full 38-page treasury application with line-item detail is posted on the district website for residents to review.
Council members asked about funding alternatives and noted that some emergency repairs have been funded from district reserves in the past. Superintendent Paulson said occasional emergency expense coverage has come from the district’s reserves but that major capital projects are typically financed through bonds in Michigan.
Paulson also noted that some residents had complained about exterior lighting at Lakeview High School; he said he would forward the specific complaint to the district facilities staff and that parking-lot LEDs may appear brighter because older incandescent fixtures were replaced as part of normal maintenance.
