New figures drop the proposed tax increase for a middle-high school bond to 13 percent -- spread out over four fiscal years in #MiddletownRI. Visit https://mdl.town/NewSchool for more.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Matt Sheley at (401) 842-6543 or msheley@middletownri.com
NEW BOND IMPACT NUMBERS RELEASED
MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (OCTOBER 16, 2023) – Revised figures reduce the projected tax impact of a middle-high school bond from 14 to 13 percent.
While town officials said 13 percent is still a big number, they reminded taxpayers that amount doesn’t hit their tax bills all at once — but is spread out over four fiscal years.
The increase goes to 8 percent in Fiscal 2025, but there’s no increase in Fiscal 2026, with a 5 percent bump in Fiscal 2027.
In real dollars, that equates to about $2 a day total for the median Middletown taxpayer, or about $700 a year.
From the beginning, Brown and his financial experts have been adamant the town issue two bonds to pay for the new school at 1225 Aquidneck Ave. just north of Gaudet Middle School. That way, Middletown has the money it needs to construct a state-of-the-art 200,000 school while spreading out the impact on taxpayers.
The item was one of several discussed Monday night during a school bond informational forum in Town Hall. A sessions is planned this afternoon in the Oliphant administration building.
“No matter how you look at it, this is good news for everybody,” Brown said. “The most recent projections are in our favor and we have enough included in the budget to pay for everything that’s promised in the bond. A new middle-high school, an auditorium, a field house, safe, healthy buildings, what our students and our educators need and don’t come close to getting now.”
“We’re a community. That’s how a community operates,” council President Paul M. Rodrigues said. “I’ve had people come up to me and say ‘I’m not going to vote for this because my kids are done in school.’ Well, that’s what a community does…A community supports those children in the schools, whether you have one or you don’t.”
Town officials said the goal with Monday’s forum was to get everything out on the table before the Nov. 7 special election. That way, voters had the best, most reliable data and details prior to the special election. Updates are posted regularly at https://mdl.town/NewSchool and online.
Brown, Rodrigues and others reminded the crowd that if Middletown doesn’t act now, it misses the opportunity to capitalize on close to 20 percent of additional reimbursements from the state for eligible costs. The way the process works, the Rhode Island Department of Education has indicated it will pay 52 cents of every eligible dollar for the new school.
“We’ve seen what’s happened in other communities when voters aren’t kept in the loop,” Brown said. “That’s not going to happen in Middletown. We’re answering as many questions and addressing as many issues out there as possible so people feel like they’re heard and have a voice in this process. This is Middletown’s school, all of Middletown."
With passage of the new middle-high school, Middletown creates the opportunity for a new prekindergarten program, dozens of units of affordable housing, a community center at what’s now Aquidneck School and a systematic overhaul of the way the district does business.
Under plans before voters, the new middle-high school would be built on open property just north of Gaudet. Once that work was done and renovations were completed, pre-kindergarteners through first graders would move into the Forest Avenue building if implemented, with grades two through five occupying the Middletown High campus.
While a one percent drop might not seem like a lot, it equals millions of dollars of savings to Middletown — and its taxpayers — over the life of the bonds.
“One thing I don’t think some people truly understand is these problems don’t go away if the bond doesn’t pass,” Brown said. “We’re at a point where we have to do something with our schools and the numbers show it actually costs taxpayers more by not voting for the bond. In the first five years alone, the projections are $124 million to Middletown before we open one wall or ceiling, student learning is interrupted and we’re still struggling with many of the same problems.”
Independent financial expert Matt Blais of Hilltop Securities said even with changes in the market, Middletown’s proposal remains within the guide rails of prudent financial management.
Assistant Superintendent Michelle Fonseca told the capacity crowd in the council chambers that despite what some might think, environment can have a huge impact on learning and achievement.
She said unfortunately, Middletown schools are constantly dealing with problems with classrooms that are too warm, cold, smell weird, have mold or other issues. Like when she took a call Monday morning, where staff reported an odd smell permeating the Aquidneck Avenue building.
And rarely do the buildings themselves spark excitement, energy anywhere near what she saw during tours of new schools in Saugus and Weymouth, Massachusetts. Things like security, air quality temperature, acoustics, lighting, space and similar matters, she said.
“When those things are at the optimal level, it can lead to great things,” Fonseca said.
Document Link: https://www.middletownri.com/DocumentCenter/View/9664/NYCU-13
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