Dear Elko County School District Teachers, Staff and Families,
I am writing you today to request your participation in a 3-question survey created by Elko County which seeks public input on the future of our school facilities, specifically:
1) Your level of support for Assembly Bill 519, a bill already passed by the Nevada Legislature in 2023, which allocates a portion of the county’s already existing property tax rate for the purpose of repairing existing facilities and construction of new school facilities.
2) What level of tax rate you believe appropriate to designate to the school district for capital improvement projects.
3) Ranking what you believe to be the priorities for the school district's capital improvement projects.
AB519 requires the county to levy a tax at a rate of not less than 1 cent and not more than 25 cents on each $100 of assessed valuation of taxable property within the county. This bill does not impose a new tax but instead authorizes counties to designate a portion of the current county’s property tax rate.
If Elko County were to choose to return to the School District the max rate of 25 cents, that amount would not exceed the tax rate cap of $3.64. You will find that the survey does not currently include all rate options listed by AB519. Also, very importantly, the revenue generated from this tax rate can be doubled by applying to a state fund specifically designated for this purpose.
The chosen rate will be disbursed from the County’s allocation of the already voter-approved 75-cent county levy (Pay As You Go). The county took possession of the total allocation and has since redistributed the current levy:
Elko County: 44 cents (where proposed AB519 1-25 cents will be disbursed from)
Cities of Elko, West Wendover, Carlin and Wells: 20 cents (5 cents each)
Elko Television District: 5 cents
Wildland Fire Protection: 6 cents
The PAYG account in the District currently holds a remaining balance of $14,231,606.84. With limited and depleting funds available, our District has adopted a reactive approach to facility maintenance and repairs. Receiving the max (25 cents) amount from Elko County will provide us with approximately $5 million dollars per year, allowing only a portion of Priority 1 improvements to be completed, as laid out in our five-year Capital Improvement Plan. This survey does not replace the various methods through which our District routinely assesses the conditions of our schools, as mandated by statute.
Now is an opportune time to share with our county commissioners what you believe is a priority at your workplace and/or your child(ren)’s school. Your participation in this survey is crucial as we work collectively to shape the future of our facilities. By providing your input on AB519, you directly influence the capital improvement projects undertaken by our District. Thank you for your engagement and commitment to the betterment of ECSD. Because this survey is open to the public, I encourage you to share this survey with fellow constituents while sharing your perspective as an occupant or parent of a student who attends ECSD.
A direct link to the survey is available here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JP5BNZK
Sincerely,
Superintendent CJ Anderson