In an article printed today, the Denver Post‘s Jeremy Meyer asks why Colorado school district leaders are pushing a massive slew of construction bond proposals on the ballot:
But presidential elections produce large voter turnouts, and 90 percent of Colorado school ballot issues pass when they are on the general election ballot.
“My hypothesis is the larger turnout means (districts) are reaching into a voter base that is generally less informed about local issues and more inclined to give money to schools because it sounds like it is the right thing to do,” said Ben DeGrow, education-policy analyst for the Independence Institute, a free-market think tank based in Golden.
On the other hand:
DeGrow, however, said he thinks Colorado residents might be growing weary of tax increases.
“Taxpayers keep getting taken for more and more,” DeGrow said. “That adds up and tends to make a difference over time.”
I also made a strong point about the need for greater online financial transparency in school districts that wasn’t included in the story.
When local reporters are looking for a different perspective on school district bond and mill levy elections, they seem to know whom to call.
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