Albuquerque Public Schools: Bond/Mill Levy To Pay For School Repairs, Upgrades

Press release from Albuquerque Public Schools:

October 26, 2021

Schools are on the ballot this fall. 

Along with voting for mayor, city councilors, and school board members, voters will be deciding on a bond/mill levy funding package that would pay for much-needed repairs and renovations of aging APS schools as well as educational technology and security measures. 

If passed, tax rates would not increase, and funding would not go to administrator salaries. All expenditures will be subject to independent oversight and audit to ensure tax dollars are spent responsibly and transparently.

• Renovating and rebuilding aging classrooms, gyms, and cafeterias
• Improving cooling and heating systems as well as airflow 
• Providing educational technology 
• Enhancing school security and safety
• Fixing leaky roofs 
• Upgrading bus and parent pick-up/drop-off areas
• Updating playground equipment 
• Conserving water and energy by installing artificial turf fields
•  Making schools welcoming to all by adding wheelchair ramps and accessible bathrooms

In addition, a portion of the funding would go to Albuquerque charter schools (both local and state) and to help the city build a new aquatic center serving students in the far Northeast Heights.   

General obligation bonds and mill levies are ways of financing capital projects for public schools through property taxes. 

• A bond is long-term financing, like a mortgage, and is paid off over several years.
• School districts use the term "mill levy" to refer to pay-as-you-go financing. The money is spent as property taxes are collected rather than being used to pay off long-term debt. A mill is one one-thousandth of a dollar, and a levy is the imposition of a tax, so one mill levy would be a property tax of one dollar on every thousand dollars of taxable property value.

No, there will be no tax increase from the passage of the APS bond/mill levy package. It is just a continuation of the current tax rate. 

All registered voters living within the Albuquerque Public Schools district boundaries can vote in the Nov. 2 election. This includes all of Bernalillo County and the Village of Corrales in Sandoval County. 

The ballot will have two questions. The legal wording is a little confusing, but in a nutshell, voters are beings asked to vote for or against: 

• General Obligation Bonds that would provide up to $200 million for school district projects and
• A Mill Levy that would collect about $430 million over six years. Remember, this is a continuation of the current tax rate, not an increase.  

• Early voting began on Oct. 5 at the Bernalillo County Clerk's Annex, 1500 Lomas A NW.
• Other early voting sites open Saturday, Oct. 16. Early Voting Locations and Hours External link
• Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 2. 

A positive side effect of passing the bond/mill levy package is its impact on the local economy. It is expected to generate close to $200 million in construction activity in the first two years. Continued activity will include a steady economic influx into the IT, design, fabrication, and construction sectors through 2027.  This continuous project infusion is essential to local current/future educational needs, economic health, and local job prospects.

This press release was produced by Albuquerque Public Schools. The views expressed here are the author’s own.