GF school referendum date inching closer

With the upcoming school bond referendum election only five weeks out Grand Forks school officials remain hopeful the tax hike plan will pass.

The district is faced with mounting facility needs and a declining budget reserve to cover the costs.

Buildings and Grounds Director Chris Arnold says right now there are some 800 planned projects on the books ranging from A-D-A requirements to mechanical issues.   Arnold says without new revenue the fallback plan is not a pretty one.  “We are going to start to see more buildings close like we saw at West and we are not going to be able to take care of them.  Arnold says going to be a repeat pattern until a change is made.

On the ballot is an 86-million dollar bond referendum question plus a 10-mill increase in the building fund.  It’s estimated the bond would cost around $110 million dollars over a 20-year span.

Those opposed to the June 22^nd referendum started a “VOTE NO” yard sign campaign this week.