Fort Zumwalt voters will decide on a $90M bond issue this November.
Proposition One would fund safety upgrades, playground accessibility, and major building repairs across the district's 27 schools... all without raising the current tax rate.
School Board President Erica Powers says the district has a track record of carefully managing taxpayer dollars.
"We're not constantly asking for money. I think our district has been very, very frugal over the years. And at times when things have come up we've had to make decisions that, no, this isn't the best with the taxpayer's money to move forward with this because things have changed in an economy that we cannot control."
Superintendent Doctor Henry St. Pierre says the biggest chunk of that money is dedicated to keeping students safe.
"Heavy emphasis on safety and security is the plan for this bond issue. Continued storm shelter construction at our elementary schools, we have some buildings that we are not in a position that we would like to have with secure vestibules, we need some additional construction to go into those buildings to make those on par with the rest of our buildings."
The rest of the bond money would go toward building maintenance — like replacing aging roofs and air conditioners — as well as upgrading elementary school playgrounds with accessible and all-weather surfaces.
Because of a new state law, if the proposition fails, the district legally cannot put another bond issue on the ballot until November of 2028.
