Redmond School Board sends $97.7 million ‘renewal bond’ measure to Nov. ballot, keeping current property tax rate

(Update: Adding details of current bonded debt tax rate, proposal)

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Redmond School Board voted unanimously last week to place a renewal bond measure before voters on the Nov. 5 general election ballot. It represents the second phase of a two-part construction program to make long-term repairs and improve student opportunities in the Redmond School District without raising taxes. 

District leadership and the Community Bond Task Force, a volunteer group of parents, staff, and community members, spent the past year reviewing building condition assessments, educational adequacy, and capacity needs across district facilities, according to Monday's news release, which continues in full:

This team spent the spring conducting community and staff listening sessions, parent surveys, and research polling to gather input and feedback on the proposed package before making their recommendation to the board.

The proposed renewal bond would raise $97.7 million to help fund projects to increase safety, preserve the life of school buildings, make critical repairs to Redmond High School and expand student opportunities in CTE. 

If passed, the proposed bond will fund the following projects in the district:

• Improving Health, Safety & Security
  • Secure entrances and automatic locking systems
  • Security cameras
  • Air quality improvements
  • Asbestos abatement
  • Fire safety systems

• Preserving Facilities & Lowering Costs With District-Wide Building System Updates
  • Replace roofs, plumbing, flooring
  • Update electrical, heating, ventilation/cooling systems
  • Install energy efficient lighting and windows
  • Install drought tolerant landscaping

• Critical Repairs and Updates to Redmond High School 
  • The bond would replace 50-year-old hot water heating system at risk of failure and make significant upgrades to Career and Technical Education program spaces

• Expand Tumalo Community School to return to K-8 School
  • The bond would expand the capacity at Tumalo Community School from K-5 to a K-8 school

Similar to the 2020 bond, this renewal bond is estimated to maintain the tax rate property owners are currently paying in the district as it replaces older bonds that will be paid off.

“We have worked diligently to craft a bond aimed at maintaining our district schools while being fiscally responsible to our community without increasing the tax rate,” shared school board chair Michael Summers. “This bond will fund projects that will make every district school more safe and efficient while also addressing the failing HVAC piping at Redmond High School. If the measure passes, we also plan to expand our popular career and technical education facilities to provide career readiness for generations of Redmond students to come.”

For questions or more information about the Redmond School District's proposed bond measure, please contact Logan McGinnis at logan.mcginnis@redmondschools.org. 

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The current Redmond School District property tax rate for bonded debt totals abut $2.26 per $1,000 of taxable assessed value, consisting of bonds issued in 2004, 2008 and 2021. The 2004 bonds were retired on June 30, and the new bond measure is estimated to maintain the district's total tax rate for bonded debt at about $2.26, officials said.