Nuview Union Seeking $15M In Bonds With Measure K

This November, voters in the Nuview Union School District will be asked whether or not to approve Measure K, a $15 million bond package that will be used to modernize aging facilities and set the district up for future growth.

“A lot of it is infrastructure, right, repairing our deteriorating roofs, also looking at, you know, heating, cooling, plumbing, sewer, all of those types of things that go into the old buildings that we have in the old schools,” Penni Harbauer, assistant superintendent of Business Services, said. “So making sure that we’re staying up with safety codes, not that our sites aren’t safe, but making sure we have the funding to make sure that we’re up to code.”

With the size of the bond, Superintendent John Huber said the district was looking to make as much of an impact as possible for both staff and students who work and learn in the district’s facilities.

Prior to heading out for bond, the district conducted polling with voters and said the survey came back positive, with those who responded recognizing the need.

“The survey goes out to the entire community, not just our teachers or anything like that,” Huber said. “So we’re getting feedback from parents in our community, previous parents, people who are non parents, and again, that that data was really positive for us, so we’re excited.”

Voters previously approved Measure D in 2006 for a total of $39.6 million and reauthorized $4 million in 2012 with Measure V in 2012 for the purchase, improvement, furnishing, building and equipping of school facilities.

“We do have a little bit available [from previous bonds], but not enough that’s going to be significant to do the work that we need,” Harbauer said.

When it comes to property taxes, the district is asking voters to approve a levy of up to $30 for every $100,000 in assessed value for all residential, commercial and industrial properties. Harbauer said the average homeowner would see an increase of approximately $90 per year.

“We’re really looking at making sure that we are, when we put these on, that it’s going to be geared towards certain things, and that we’re not over taxing the community, that we’re putting in what we need and what we can spend,” Harbauer said.

Both Harbauer and Huber said now is the right time for this bond because the schools are aging, the population is growing and the students deserve to have modernized classrooms and learning facilities.

“I think in Nuview, and hopefully every district, we try to make decisions based on what’s best for kids,” Huber said. “And we think that this will provide equity opportunities for our kids and some of the newer schools that might be in neighborhoods, and we just want and value providing opportunities for our kids in a first-class learning environment.”