The basics:
What are voters being asked to approve?
Voters will be asked to authorize issuance of $105,000,000 general obligation bonds for land acquisition and school construction.  Passage of the bond issue will maintain the tax rate currently in effect, so the property tax rate would not increase as a result of the vote.

Where do I vote? View the voting district map here... (pdf)

Why is this a great deal for Rio Rancho?
Passage of the bond issue will allow Rio Rancho to leverage local taxpayer dollars to get school construction funds from the state.  The state’s Public Schools Capital Outlay Council has awarded more than $88,687,384 to Rio Rancho Public Schools for construction projects since the state matching funds requirement went into effect in 2003, and $107,323,727 since the district’s founding in 1994.  To secure these funds, the district has had to come up with $50.45 million in matching funds from local taxpayers (a requirement under state law).  That means for every dollar Rio Rancho voters have contributed through bond issues, the state has chipped in more than two dollars.  This would not have been possible had voters not passed bond issues. 

Dr. Kurt Steinhaus, the Vice-Chair of the NM Public School Capital Outlay Council (PSCOC), the agency that awards state school construction funding to local districts, said: “The Council is now making a concerted effort to evaluate funding requests based upon which districts are “ready to move” in two areas. First, that they’ve got their local match, and second, that they’ve got their facilities master plan in place.” * By passing the bond issue, voters will assure local matching funds are available for new schools, increasing the community’s chances of getting state money. *Public Schools Facilities Authority 2006 Annual Report

When the district qualifies for state money, taxpayers from around the state share the cost of building local schools -- a cost that would otherwise have to be borne solely by Rio Rancho residents.

What happens if the bond issue fails? Do we lose the state money?
Yes.  Under state law, local school districts are required to provide matching funds in order to receive state school construction money through the PSCOC.  If the community fails to provide matching funds for a project, it cannot qualify for state funding and any funds already awarded revert to the state.  The community is then responsible for footing the entire cost of school facilities. 

These schools are needed regardless of whether the bond issue passes -- it’s just a question of whether the Rio Rancho residents have to pick up the entire tab by themselves as opposed to sharing the cost with taxpayers from around the state.

What are the other consequences if the bond issue doesn't’t pass? (Back to top)

• The district might not be able to complete the Northwest elementary school (the school that will relieve Colinas del Norte).   The state has awarded funds for this school, but without local matching funds, the state money reverts.  Colinas del Norte’s enrollment currently exceeds 1,200.
• The district would have to drastically cut back the core facility for the new high school because of increased construction costs.  The state has awarded money to cover these costs, but the money will revert if the district cannot raise matching funds.  Also, the new school would not have a performing arts center (a facility which gets heavy community use), athletic fields, or other facilities that Rio Rancho HS has in place.  This would mean Rio Rancho HS would have many basic facilities the new high school would lack, which is not an equitable situation for students attending the new school. 
• Because the district will no longer be bonded to capacity, the percentage of the district’s match in order to get state funds will increase, making it even harder for the district to build new facilities.
• Emergency purchases of portables to provide space would have to be paid for from operational funds that provide teachers and educational programs, crippling those services. 
• Students might have to be bused across town to less-crowded schools -- but in a very short time, there will be no schools that are not overcrowded (this is already the case at the Mid-High and high school level).  Student-teacher ratios would likely increase because there simply would not be enough classrooms available.
• Eventually, the district might have to consider such unpopular alternatives as extended days and year-round calendars.
• The result of all of the above will be that Rio Rancho will become a less desirable community in which to live.  Dissatisfaction with overcrowded schools is one of the reasons that the Rio Rancho community chose to form its own school district.  At one time, nearly three-quarters of the district’s students attended classes in portable buildings.  That number has been cut drastically, but without voter support, the district will have no alternative but to house students in portables and consider changes to school schedules.

Eventually, this could impact the community’s economic development.  Businesses and families considering locating in Rio Rancho might reconsider if the district’s schools are overcrowded and adequate funds are not available to build needed schools.

What the bond issue includes:
The priorities identified for funding in the 2007 bond proposal include some 76 different items.  These include land acquisition, matching funds to secure state money for six school construction projects, and other projects that impact all sixteen district schools along with the district as a whole.  Some of the major items are:

Additional matching funds, technology and equipment funds, and phase II construction funding for the new comprehensive high school (Cleveland HS -- under construction):  Matching funds to obtain additional state funding:  $9,497,587

The state has granted RRPS additional construction funding for Phase I of the new high school (the core facility) to meet rising construction costs.  The bond issue includes the required local matching funds to secure the additional $14 million in state money. Phase II construction funding:  $15,000,000

The state does not fund certain facilities RRPS feels are critical to offering a quality comprehensive high school program.  The bond proposal includes $10 million for a performing arts center for the high school which would also serve the entire community.  The proposal also provides $5 million for athletic facilities including an auxiliary gym, competition fields, physical education and athletic practice fields, and a marching band practice field. Furnishing, technology, and equipment: $8.5 million.

Supplements: $3 million appropriated in the 2006 bond issue, and provides technology, furniture, and equipment to complete Phase I and for all of Phase II.

Northeast Elementary (under construction)

• Additional matching funds to secure already promised state funds of $12,060,130 ($3.3 million of the required match was funded in the 2006 bond):  $729,699
• Furnishings ($248,284 of the $500,000 total funded in the 2006 bond): $251,716
• Technology:  $620,640

Northwest Elementary (Construction begins September 25)

• Matching funds to secure already promised state funds of $13,218,220:  $5,938,621
• Furnishings: $500,000
• Technology:  $620,640

North Central Elementary (planned)

• Matching funds to secure state funds to be requested of $10,536,263:  $8,620,578*
• Furnishings: $500,000
• Technology:  $620,640

Middle school (planned)

• Matching funds to secure state funds to be requested of $15,400,000:  $12,600,000*
• Furnishings: $800,000
• Technology:  $750,000

Real Estate Acquisition:  $16,072,879
Would permit the district to acquire property for schools included in the bond issue and others planned for future years, and could also permit the district, if the opportunity arises, to acquire existing buildings suitable for housing schools and programs.  Would help the district to beat rising land prices and mitigate the need for the district to tap operational funds or bond funds earmarked for other purposes in order to acquire land in a timely fashion.

• Vista Grande Elementary Addition:  $2,835,000 (estimated local match)
• Rio Rancho HS Black Box Theatre (construction; project has been designed):  $1,500,000
• Rio Rancho HS Football Stadium Expansion:  $1,000,000
• Rio Rancho HS soccer fields and Athletic Training Center (serves soccer, track, and cross-country):  $2,000,000
• Colinas del Norte Elementary Kitchen/Cafeteria Expansion:  $1,000,000
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Administrative area renovation: $1,400,000

Other school - level projects:

• Rio Rancho High School:  $1,600,000
• Independence High School:  $500,000
• Rio Rancho Mid-High (will become a middle school and career tech center upon opening of the new high school):  $1,545,000
• Eagle Ridge Middle School:  $1,040,000
• Lincoln Middle School:  $1,090,000
• Mountain View Middle School:  $1,040,000
• Colinas del Norte Elementary:  $275,000
• Enchanted Hills ES:  $537,000
• Ernest Stapleton Elementary:  $200,000
• Maggie Cordova Elementary:  $300,000
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary:  $350,000
• Puesta del Sol Elementary:  $340,000
• Rio Rancho Elementary:  $300,000
• Vista Grande Elementary:  $100,000
• Shining Stars Preschool:  $275,000

District-wide projects: 

• Data and cabling infrastructure upgrades district-wide:  $140,000
• Audio-visual cabling infrastructure upgrades district-wide: $270,000
• Master planning (demographic projections and ongoing updates to the facilities master plan):  $210,000
• Bond sale administrative costs:  $400,000

(Back to top)

How were the bond priorities set?
The priorities recommended to the school board by school district staff were established in the district’s Facilities Master Plan.  The Master Plan is developed with input from school staff and community members, and also specialists who help the district forecast growth and the need for new schools.  The requirement that local communities provide matching funds in order to get state money was key to setting the bond priorities.

How will these facilities benefit kids?
All students in Rio Rancho will benefit from construction of the second high school, which will alleviate overcrowding at Rio Rancho High School and at the Mid-High (which will become an eighth-grade academy).

Construction of two new elementary schools in northern Rio Rancho will directly relieve enrollment at Colinas del Norte, Stapleton, Enchanted Hills, and Vista Grande Elementary Schools. Through boundary changes, the district may be able to also reduce enrollment at elementary schools further south. (Back to top)

About Taxes:

What is the current tax rate from bonds and the mill levy?
The current tax rate from bonds is approximately 8.54 mill, which means $8.54/$1,000 of the net taxable value (1/3 of the home’s actual value).  This adds up to about $46.97 per month ($564 per year) for a $200,000 home – about the price of a cup of coffee per day (and we’re not talking Starbucks).

Wasn’t the last bond election less than two years ago?  How can the district ask for so much money so soon without raising taxes?
The tax rolls are finally beginning to catch up with the city’s recent growth spurt.  When somebody builds a house and moves into the community, their children show up in the schools right away.  But it takes time -- often more than a year -- before the property gets onto the tax rolls and that money benefits the community.  Also, the county has recently reappraised a lot of vacant property in Rio Rancho so tax rates more closely reflect the current market, where land values have increased dramatically in the past couple of years.

Will passage make my taxes go up?
No.  Passage of the bond issue permits the district to issue new bonds as old ones are retired.  The tax rate remains the same.  If your home increases in value and your property is reappraised, it’s possible your taxes could go up because your property is worth more.  But the actual tax rate levied by the school district remains the same.

What if it doesn’t pass? Will my taxes go down?
If the bond issue is defeated, the tax rate for bonds would decline slowly as the district repays existing bonds. (Back to top)

How will these facilities benefit kids?
Every child in the school district will benefit from passage of these bonds.  Completion of the new high school and elementary and middle schools will help to assure every child has a place in a classroom as the district grows.  Other projects will help to assure schools are safe and functional and students have the facilities they need to meet their potential academically and in sports, fine and performing arts, and extracurricular activities.

What about previous bond issues?  Has all the money been used?
Yes, it has either already been spent or is in the process of being spent for the last remaining projects promised under bond issue passed in 2003 and 2006.  It should be noted that bond money does not become available all at once -- bonds are be sold over a period of years as tax revenues become available.

Has RRPS kept its promises to the community and completed previous bond projects?
Absolutely.  RRPS has completed dozens of projects funded totally or in part by previous voter-approved bond issues, among them: 

• Colinas del Norte Elementary School
• Maggie M. Cordova Elementary School
• Vista Grande Elementary School
• New campuses for Puesta del Sol and Ernest Stapleton Elementary Schools and Mountain View Middle School
• Eagle Ridge Middle School
• Rio Rancho Mid-High School
• Major classroom additions at Rio Rancho Elementary, Colinas del Norte Elementary, Enchanted Hills Elementary, Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary, and Rio Rancho High School
• Athletic complex (football and baseball stadiums and athletic fields) at Rio Rancho High School,
• Athletic fields, playgrounds, building modifications and upgrades, parking and traffic control, erosion control, and sewer hookups

Has RRPS earned community support?
Yes, for many reasons:

• The district has delivered the facilities promised in past bond issues
• Many of our facilities have received awards for design, functionality, and cost effectiveness.
• RRPS delivers for kids. Rio Rancho students consistently score above average on standardized tests. Students in all subject areas, grade levels, and all subgroups except special education meet state proficiency targets, as measured in the latest round of standardized testing.

Why don’t developers pay for schools?
In some parts of the country, that’s required.  And from time to time, developers in Rio Rancho have donated land and services to support schools.  However, state law does not permit schools to levy impact fees.  Under current state laws and regulations and local ordinances, school districts must raise construction funds through voter-approved property tax levies, both to finance construction and to qualify for further capital funding from the state. (Back to top)

What about all those kids who go to RRPS but don’t live in the district? Can’t we throw them out to make space for our own kids?
The state’s Open Enrollment Law requires school districts to accept any student who wishes to enroll – regardless of where he or she lives – on a space-available basis.  Space available refers either to physical space in the building or space in individual classes subject to state-mandated class size limits.  It is important to note that schools are required to first accept any student living in that school’s attendance area (with rare discipline-related exceptions allowed by state law).  So those students always have priority over out-of-district students. 

Students are accepted under open enrollment on a year-to-year basis, so if a school has an influx of students living in that school’s attendance area, out-of-district students can be turned away. 

By the way, open enrollment works both ways.  Other districts accept Rio Rancho students and some Rio Rancho families, for a variety of reasons, enroll their children in APS’s and other district’s schools.

I don’t have kids – why should I pay for schools?
Good schools are at the foundation of any strong community.  Housing values are enhanced because buyers want to live in neighborhoods that have quality schools in quality facilities.  A strong school system also offers a powerful incentive for companies looking for a community in which to do business.  The whole community benefits when new business “grows the pie” of resources available to fund services. 

Potential employees demand good schools for their children, and employers benefit because graduates are more likely to have the skills needed to succeed in the workplace and in higher education.  Those students, as adults, then can contribute to their communities both financially and as productive citizens living in the community.  Previous generations of adults provided schools for us, and it is our responsibility to make sure future generations have the opportunities we enjoyed. 

Finally, the community benefits because students studying in safe, functional buildings that provide the right environment for learning are more likely to stay in school and become good citizens.    Young people who are involved in school and in school activities are less likely to commit crimes or to contribute to an unhealthy community environment.

The price tag for these schools seems high. Why have costs gone up so much?
Construction costs have increased dramatically in the past couple of years because materials costs -- especially for steel and concrete -- have gone through the roof and because many large-scale construction projects are currently underway in the Albuquerque metro area (and nationally as a result of the war and Hurricane Katrina).  The contractors that build large-scale projects such as schools are busy and so can charge a premium for projects.  This is being aggravated by rising energy costs (gasoline is more expensive for contractors, too) and labor costs (employees have to be adequately paid so they can afford gas to commute to the job!).

I’d rather have the money go to boost teacher salaries. Can’t we do that?
No.  Bond issue funds can’t be used to pay salaries or to fund the district’s operational expenses.

Why don’t you just ask the legislature for money for schools?
It is not currently to Rio Rancho’s advantage to do that.  Under state law, there are consequences for school districts that get money from direct legislative appropriations.  A percentage of any funds that are directly appropriated by the legislature is subtracted from any award the district might get from the PSCOC. 

In order to get maximum value from PSCOC awards, the district must discourage direct legislative appropriations.  The funding for the high school demonstrates why.  The original state award for the new high school was $47.7 million.  However, the state subtracted more than $800,000 from that award because of money the district received through the legislature in the 2005 session.  That’s $800,000 that the district had to include in bond issues in order to pay for the high school. 

The district encourages legislators to fund projects -- like roads, sidewalks, and utilities in areas where schools will be built -- that will directly benefit schools and students as well as the community.  This helps Rio Rancho maximize its legislative awards without penalty to the school district.

Why is the question on the ballot so broadly worded? Doesn’t it give the school district too much latitude to change things and go back on its promises?
The wording of the bond question adheres to the language specified under the state constitution, as it must for legal reasons.  Yes, the question is broadly worded to afford the school district some flexibility if changes are necessary; for example, if a bond-funded project is subsequently funded by the state, if for some reason a project costs more than estimated, or if funds are urgently needed to meet higher priority needs.  For example, the district recently needed to divert some of the money from the 2006 bond earmarked for the new high school to buy land to build the urgently-needed northeast and northwest elementary schools. 

The district has a strong record of delivering on the projects it has promised voters in the past and fully intends to complete the projects it has listed as priorities in this bond issue.  The school district has an elected board that voters can hold accountable for keeping its promises. (Back to top)

Voting Information

When is the election?
The election is on October 9, and polls are open from 7 AM to 7 PM.

Who is eligible to vote?
All registered voters in Rio Rancho may vote.

How and where do I vote?
There are six polling places for this schools-only election; one each in school board districts 1, 2, 3, and 4, and two in board district 5 (where the population is spread out over a very large area). 

Your voter registration card will tell you in which precinct, and which school board district, you live.  Please keep in mind your voter registration card has two numbers in the box labeled “Board of Education District.”  The first number is your State Board of Education district, NOT your Rio Rancho board district.  The second number is a “94-“ followed by another number.  The number following the “94” is your school board district, and you vote at the polling place for that district. 

Here are the polling places for each school board district, and the precincts included in that district:

May I vote early?
Yes.  Early voting (it’s actually called “absentee voting in person”) begins on Friday, September 14 at the Sandoval County Courthouse, 711 Camino del Pueblo in Bernalillo.  You may vote anytime during regular business hours, 8 AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday.  Early voting ends at 5 PM on Friday, October 5.

May I vote absentee?
Yes.  To request an absentee ballot, call the Sandoval County Bureau of Elections at 867-7577 or write to P.O. Box 40, Bernalillo, NM 87004.  They will mail you an application to fill out and mail back or take to the County Courthouse.  Once the Bureau receives the application, you will then be issued an absentee ballot to fill out and return.  The Bureau of Elections must have the completed ballot in its hands by 7 PM on Election Day, Tuesday, October 9th (i.e. it has to be physically there, not postmarked on the 9th).  Voters may deliver absentee ballots to the Bureau of Elections at the Sandoval County Courthouse up until 7 PM on the 9th.  The office at 711 Camino del Pueblo in Bernalillo will be staffed to receive ballots until 7 PM.