Jefferson City is getting its second public high school.
On the Tuesday ballot, voters convincingly supported Propositions J and C, which presented Jefferson City Public Schools' two high school plan. Under that plan, the new high school will be located on the city's west side, off Missouri 179. The current high school at 609 Union St. will be extensively renovated.
Proposition J asked voters if they wanted to approve a 65-cent tax levy increase to fund a $130 million bond issue to build a second high school and renovate the existing one to make it an equitable facility in terms of square footage, design and safety. Proposition J required a four-sevenths majority of voters' approval in order to pass; more specifically, anything above 57.1428 percent.
It got 62.4 percent approval, with 10,214 votes.
Proposition C asked voters if they wanted to approve a 45-cent operating levy increase - 25 cents to cover the operating costs of a second high school and 20 cents to cover needs within the existing school system. Proposition C required a simple majority of votes in order to pass - specifically, anything above 50 percent.
It got 60.4 percent, with 9,882 votes.
The 20 cents of the operating levy presented by Proposition C will fund continuing needs within the existing K-12 school system of the district: 10 cents for new textbook series and accompanying teacher planning resources; 5 cents for classroom technology improvements; 4 cents for expanded behavioral and mental health support for students; and 1 cent for a preschool room at Callaway Hills Elementary School to serve 15 students.
JCPS Superintendent Larry Linthacum said Tuesday night he felt overwhelmed by how much the community has entrusted the district with. "I just feel blessed," he said.
He added he recognizes the responsibility voters have given the district to oversee the two massive projects they've approved. Given all the efforts just to get the propositions passed, he said he hasn't given as much thought to how overseeing construction will be.
As with the ballot propositions, Linthacum said, the district will be transparent and involve people in the process. He said they will "dig in more on details" with staff soon.
Current board President John Ruth gave credit to Linthacum for the success of the bond issues, saying he's "never worked with a more genuine individual," who's rallied the community to build trust with the district.
Ruth said something that hasn't sunk in yet but will have huge ramifications for the district going forward, will be the ability to issue no tax-increase bond issues in the future to invest in K-12 projects like new elementary schools.
School board candidate Scott Hovis, who won a seat on the board Tuesday, said he at first had mixed emotions about the two high school plan, given all the memories he has invested in the current building. "There always comes a time you've got to move on, though," Hovis said.
Hovis explained all the accomplishments of him and his friends at the current Jefferson City High School will not be taken away by creation of a second school; the addition will only add more opportunities for students' success.
With both issues approved, a Jefferson City family who currently owns a $150,000 home will pay about $26 more a month or $313.50 more a year in property taxes. Owners of personal property like vehicles will also see tax increases. An owner of a car valued at $10,000 will pay about $36 more a year, for example.
The formula for calculating taxes on real estate or personal property is the appraised value, multiplied by the assessor's rate, divided by 100, and then multiplied by the tax levy rate.
Approval of both propositions raises Jefferson City's school tax levy by $1.10, to make the school tax levy $4.7928 per $100 of assessed valuation.
This puts the JCPS district ahead of other local districts like Blair Oaks R-2, Cole County R-1 (Russellville), Cole County R-5 (Eugene) and Southern Boone County R-1 (Ashland), but still below Columbia, which has a rate of $6.043.