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Dysart board reviews potential $71.4 million bond, estimates 17¢ tax rate per $100,000 assessed value
Summary
Administrators presented a list of potential bond projects totaling roughly $71,400,000, discussed timelines that could delay a new high school until the early 2030s, and provided preliminary tax‑rate and cost estimates for placing a bond on the ballot.
District administrators presented a preliminary list of capital projects and a county calendar the board would need to follow to place a bond before voters.
"What you see in a list is... the total of about $71,400,000," the superintendent told the board as he introduced projects not currently fundable within the five‑year plan. Board discussion focused on priorities, with members identifying a new elementary in the Asante area as a pressing need.
Finance staff outlined timing and cost scenarios. A staff estimate suggested a new bond could add roughly 17¢ to the tax rate per $100,000 of assessed value; using recent average assessed valuations, administrators described that as approximately $3.05 per month per household in one illustrative example. The district also listed about $6,800,000 to complete remaining HVAC work across 11 schools. Existing bond principal was reported at about $38,700,000 and is projected to be paid off by fiscal year 2028, which staff said would free capacity for new debt.
Board members raised concerns about timing—two prior bond attempts had failed—and about whether the district should pursue a smaller bond or wait for further voter‑engagement work. Administrators flagged May 7 as an early deadline for ballot language and estimated costs to run a bond election in the low‑to‑mid hundreds of thousands of dollars (past cycles averaged about $200,000). The board did not vote to place a bond on the ballot but discussed next steps and the need for further outreach and campaign planning.
