Does Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) need $630 million more of your money, or are voters in need of honesty and accountability?

It’s been a trying time for our children because they have spent most of the last 18 months unable to attend school in person. It’s unfortunate because their future is brighter with both a good education and the ability to socialize with others.

The isolation has been detrimental, so we’re glad to see that they are now being allowed to get back into classrooms. Certainly, having well maintained schools to return to is important, but is the APS bond/mill levy tax proposal for $630 million the right solution?

APS enrollment is down 20% over the past 10 years and continuing to decline. While there are legitimate needs for maintenance, APS has failed to account for past spending, to consolidate/downsize where appropriate, and has done a poor job of justifying the current request for additional funding.   

APS officials will continue to spend every dime taxpayers give them, so it’s up to voters to decide if this makes sense. Many APS bond and mill levy tax requests are redundant. There are several items previously funded which continue to appear in subsequent requests, like the current one that includes money for portable buildings and buying land, even when there is no need.

Recent APS bond issue requests have included an urgent request for classroom educational technology; this one is for $110 million. Since the state has provided most of the computers and laptops in schools, it begs the question as to why APS is asking for more.

Enrollment continues to drop significantly and there is need for serious consideration of the consolidation of some schools. Enrollment losses are district wide, but there are some schools that have very low enrollment. In fact, before Del Norte High School was demolished and rebuilt, the legislature debated the need to close that school due to low and declining enrollment. If some of APS’s schools were combined, we could have a more robust attendance and dynamic learning experience and taxpayers would get better value for their investment.

Portable classrooms are used when attendance is greater than the primary building can accommodate. APS is currently selling portables and yet simultaneously asking taxpayers to fork over money to purchase additional portable classrooms. 

This bond/mill levy is also requesting tax dollars to purchase new property. It seems clear that APS is not in need of expanding. What is not clear is if APS has failed to write a legitimate bond and mill levy tax request or if they are counting on voters not understanding what is truly going on within the APS district. 

Approval of this general obligation bond and mill levy package would yield $630 million in capital spending over the next six years. While it will not increase taxes if approved, property taxes will decrease if it fails.

Property taxes are paid by a mill levy rate of $3.838 for every $1,000 of net taxable value of residential property and $4.344 for each $1,000 of net taxable value of nonresidential property.  The net taxable value is equal to one third of the property’s assessed value. For a home valued at $400,000 this would equate to $511.73 in property taxes for APS or that much in your pocket otherwise.

Voters generally approve APS requests, but when they are tired of the lack of accountability and an honest presentation of APS’s needs, they don’t. The last time a bond issue failed, the district put together a reasonable proposal the following year that addressed the needs and not the fluff.  It passed and APS was not devastated in the meantime, nor did buildings fall apart.

I think voters agree that we need to provide our children with well-maintained and safe schools. Given the declining student population and the seemingly disingenuous request for items that are clearly not needed, voters need to take a serious look at this request and consider whether or not it has merit.

Sometimes, it takes voters’ strength in saying ‘NO’ to finally get honesty and accountability in requests for their hard-earned dollars. 

Carla Sonntag is the president of the New Mexico Business Coalition, a longtime resident of Albuquerque and publishing group lead for the New Mexico Sun.