Nampa school district is asking voters for $210 million. Here’s our recommendation | Opinion

There’s a lot to like about the Nampa school district’s proposed $210.2 million bond proposal.

First, the Nampa school district will have paid off all of its previous bonds by the time this bond would hit tax bills. The district hasn’t asked for a bond since 2007, and for a district this size to be debt-free is a commendable achievement. Waiting until past debt is retired before asking for another bond is to be praised.

It’s clear the Nampa school district has been frugal and responsible with tax dollars.

As further example, the district presciently purchased 60 acres of land at Roosevelt Avenue and Midway Road, where the new Nampa High School would go, meaning students could still attend Nampa High while the new school is being built.

Second, we are convinced the list of items that the bond would pay for are needs — not just wants:

• $100 million to replace Nampa High School, a multi-building aging school that was built in the 1950s on an undersized lot for a modern high school.

• $30 million for a new career-technical education school, a needed addition to the district to serve students who aren’t going on to higher education but need the skills to be competitive and fill vital jobs after graduation.

• $25.5 million to replace Centennial Elementary School, which was built in the 1970s.

• $26 million to renovate and expand Skyview High School, which is now 26 years old.

• The remaining $29 million would go toward athletic facilities upgrades, such as new bleachers, fields and gymnasiums, safety and security upgrades and improvements at Columbia High School, West Middle School (built in 1973) and Central Elementary School (built in 1929!).

Because this would replace a retiring bond, the tax levy rate would increase just about $25 per $100,000 of taxable value per year, from $60 to about $85. That’s a lot of improvements for a small increase in taxes.

Further, if the bond is approved, it would alleviate some pressure from the voter-approved supplemental levy and possibly reduce it, Nampa superintendent Gregg Russell told the Idaho Statesman editorial board.

We also support the district’s plans to keep the Bulldog Bowl where it is and improve it. Many Friday night memories have been made there over the past several decades.

It should be noted that these improvements are not necessitated by growth. To the contrary, the Nampa school district’s enrollment is flat to down slightly. These improvements are needed simply because of the district’s aging facilities.

Until the Idaho Legislature comes up with a better solution, the only way school districts in Idaho can pay for these capital improvements is through bonds that are paid by property taxes.

This is not to say that we don’t have our reservations.

Primary among them is a lack of trust in the current school board members, who have made some bad decisions in the past year or so. Namely, board members last year permanently banned 23 books from the district’s libraries, including such works of literature as “The Bluest Eye,” “Kite Runner” and “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian.”

However, school board members come and go (we hope some of these board members go), and the district administration has proved responsible with tax dollars, has put together a reasonable plan for this bond and will be responsible for the projects moving forward.

Further, we do not want to punish the 13,400 students of the Nampa school district for the sins of three misguided school board members.

Our other big hesitation with regard to the bond is moving Nampa High School to Roosevelt and Midway, which is about 3.4 miles to the west of the current Nampa High — and even farther away from North Nampa, one of the poorest neighborhoods in the Treasure Valley. Moving Nampa to the west side of town means all of Nampa’s high schools continue to be pushed farther away from the heart of Nampa and farther from Nampa’s poorest students.

We are encouraged that the new career-technical education center would be placed in the current Nampa High location, but we encourage school district administrators to ensure no Nampa student is disadvantaged simply because of their ZIP code.

Despite our reservations, we fully endorse voter approval of the Nampa school district’s $210.2 million bond measure and urge your support on March 14.

Statesman editorials are the unsigned opinion of the Idaho Statesman’s editorial board. Board members are opinion editor Scott McIntosh, opinion writer Bryan Clark, editor Chadd Cripe and newsroom editors Dana Oland and Jim Keyser.