DENVER—Denver voters approved a record bond issue to funnel $454 million to public schools, but similar bond proposals failed in Jefferson and Douglas counties.
Denver’s Ballot Issue 3A targets maintenance and repair of schools and has a maximum repayment amount of $990 million. The previous record-setting bond issue for Denver Public Schools was $310.8 million in 2003.
Douglas County voters rejected a $395 million bond issue that would have financed elementary school construction and renovations of all school buildings. The Douglas County School District is the state’s third largest.
Voters there also rejected Ballot Issue 3A, a $17 million proposal to finance literacy and language programs and maintain competitive salaries for teachers.
Jefferson County voters rejected a $350 million bond issue for schools in the R-1 district. The issue would have increased district taxes by $69 million a year, with a maximum repayment of $754 million.
Jefferson County voters also rejected Ballot Issue 3A, a $34 million annual property tax increase for the R-1 district for career and jobs skills programs, textbooks and fuel cost increases.
