The Aspen School District Board of Education signaled it would likely support a potential ballot measure that would allow the state to retain additional tax dollars to bolster education spending.
Board members did not formally support the effort during a Wednesday work session because the ballot measure is still in early stages. But board President Sarah Daniels said she supports efforts to increase Colorado education spending.
“I, personally, am very in support of increasing teacher pay so I will support probably whatever is put forward, but we don’t know until it’s [finalized],” Daniels said during the meeting.
The campaign is an effort being led by the Colorado Education Association, the state teachers’ union, called “Cut the Ropes.” CEA representatives are working with local consultants and the Colorado General Assembly to request state lawmakers refer the question to the November ballot, Aspen Education Association President Marnie White told the school board on Wednesday.
It is a measure that would amend how much money the state is allowed to retain under the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, or TABOR, the 1992 amendment approved by voters that limits the amount of revenue the state can retain and spend.
The ballot language could be finalized and presented to state lawmakers in the next two weeks, White said. The goal is to increase spending on education, which state education leaders have long said falls far behind adequate levels to support students and educators.
“As you guys are aware, schools are massively underfunded in the state of Colorado, and a lot of that is due to the fact that the state collects a lot of money that it is not allowed to use because, specifically, the TABOR law,” White told the school board.
While ASD is 100% locally funded — meaning it does not receive any state funding because its share of local tax dollars is enough to cover the district’s annual total program funding — it could still benefit if the state was to spend more on education.
The state caps how much each district can spend annually based on a formula that takes into account student enrollment. If the state spends more money on education across the board, it could increase how much districts are allowed to spend annually, even if they’re using 100% local dollars to do so. Essentially, it would allow ASD to levy more in property taxes.
The school board will consider passing a resolution in support of the measure once the ballot language is finalized. About 15 districts across the state have passed a resolution urging the legislature to refer the question to the ballot, including the Gunnison Watershed School District and a number of metro districts, White said.
Daniels said the board would likely review the proposal again during a Feb. 4 school board meeting.
