The Dolores School District is asking taxpayers to approve $11.2 million in bonds to build a new high school and for other improvements to its Dolores campus. The total project cost is estimated at approximately $30 million. The district hopes to get a BEST grant from the state for approximately $19 million. My concern is what will happen if the BEST grant is not approved?
The district says: “The bond would be contingent on the district receiving the BEST grant. It would not be issued and the tax would not be collected until the grant was awarded.” See the important update on the proposed bond at www.doloresschools.org.
The bond question could easily have said in plain language that “the bonds will not be issued unless and until the BEST grant is approved” or similar verbiage. However, the bond question does not contain any such contingency. (Note, the bond question does contain a contingency on a different subject – don’t be confused.)
So, what’s up? Why did the district omit that contingency from the bond question? Is this a bait and switch? Is the district asking the taxpayers to give it a blank check up to $11.2 million? How would the district spend those funds if the BEST grant is not approved? We don’t know the answer to any of those questions.
To ask the taxpayers to approve $11.2 million in bonds without specifying how those funds will be spent is unacceptable, in my humble opinion.
William Stroop
Dolores
