The Silver Consolidated Board approved a multi-year bond-project budget and schedule after hearing a detailed briefing about tax-rate timing, state matching and how an SB 9 outcome would change revenue distribution but not increase overall taxes.

Mark Valenzuela, the district’s bond consultant, told the board that New Mexico law requires the Public Education Department (PED) to set tax rates by mid-August based on available debt-service cash and voter-approved authority. Because a special bond election occurred on Aug. 20 — after PED’s statutory deadline — the district sold its first tranche of bonds in January and needed a higher debt levy in the interim. Valenzuela said the debt-service levy rose from about 2.175 mills to roughly 8.5 mills, producing a combined local rate slightly above 10 mills. That step was taken to secure a reduced local match from the state and thereby gain a larger state contribution toward the CLIF replacement project.

Valenzuela and Superintendent William Hawkins stressed that a successful SB 9 vote (the district-level maintenance/operations levy question on the ballot) would not raise total taxpayers’ rates; instead the roll-up of SB 9 to the tax rolls would change which levy lines receive the revenue. If SB 9 passes, Valenzuela said, the debt levy would be reduced (he used an example of 8.5 mills dropping to 6.5) and the SB 9 portion would collect the offsetting revenue. "Taxes are not going up," Valenzuela said; "the pieces of it shift."

Hawkins presented a proposed project schedule and budget for 2026–2028 that includes roofing, HVAC and playground work at elementary schools in 2026 and a larger CLIF replacement project that leverages state funding to reach an estimated $46 million total (the district’s local portion is shown as $6 million for design and partial construction; the state would cover the balance contingent on the 10-mill threshold and PED approval).

During the meeting the board moved to approve the 2026 bond-project budget and schedule. The motion was made by Mrs. Clement and seconded by Mr. McMillan; a roll-call vote recorded approval by members present (Missus Montenegro, Dr. Diaz, Mister McMillan, Missus Clement). The board also authorized staff to continue with further bond-issuance steps and project planning.

Valenzuela said the district had been conservative in revenue growth assumptions and that the additional bond revenue would allow the district to pay down debt faster and preserve future bonding capacity. He recommended returning in November with formal legal documents to start the next sale series if the board wishes to authorize additional tranches.

The board took no further budget amendments that night beyond approving the project list; staff will bring construction documents, contracts and next-step requests back for future action.