Smart Financing

Smart Financing

By Dr. Robert Motte, Superintendent of Schools 

 As superintendent, one of my greatest responsibilities is ensuring the long-term sustainability of our schools while providing the facilities and resources our students and staff deserve. I want to take a moment to explain the financial approach we’ve taken to fund the much-needed renovations and why this path was not only responsible—it was necessary.

Our schools are in urgent need of upgrades. Years of deferred maintenance and limited funding have left us behind neighboring districts, and without action, we risk even greater consequences—including the potential need to merge with another district or close our doors altogether. That’s not an option we’re willing to accept.

We recently secured funding to begin the renovations, but I want to be very clear: while we did raise taxes last year to address ongoing operational needs, this new renovation funding does not require any additional tax increase. Instead, we worked with our financial advisors to extend the terms of our current debt service, allowing us to “wrap” this new loan or bond into our existing payment structure. This strategy, known as debt wrapping, enables us to take on this critical investment without further impacting our annual budget or placing additional burden on taxpayers.

It’s important for our community to understand: if taxes do need to be raised again in the future, it will not be because of our renovation project. Any increase would be due to our general fund budget deficit, which is driven in large part by the growing cost of cyber charter school tuition payments—an expense that continues to rise and takes a significant portion of our local revenue away from our classrooms.

The reality is simple: our current tax base and revenue from property assessments would never be able to generate enough funding to cover these renovations outright. This financing method was the only feasible way to move forward, and it ensures we can maintain the financial health of our district while addressing decades of underinvestment.

This decision was not made lightly. We’ve weighed all options, consulted experts, and acted in the best interest of our students, families, and community. This is about more than buildings—this is about our identity, our independence, and our future.

By investing now, we’re creating safer, more modern spaces that support learning, student well-being, and community pride. We’re playing catch-up, yes—but we’re also stepping forward with purpose.

Thank you for your continued support and trust as we work to build the future our children deserve.