CHAFFEE SCHOOL VOTERS AGAIN REJECT TAX HIKE

CHAFFEE -- For the second time in three months, Chaffee voters have rejected a proposed increase in the operating tax levy of the Chaffee School District.

The vote in Tuesday's special election was 331 for the levy and 493 opposed.

The district had proposed a 44-cent per $100 assessed valuation increase in the $2.81 operating levy. Last November the school district had unsuccessfully sought an 85-cent increase.

Superintendent Bob Biggs said he can't explain why voters again rejected the district's plea for more operating money. He said a tremendous number of parents and even some staff members didn't vote in the previous election. A concentrated effort was made to get both groups to the polls on Tuesday.

Biggs pointed out that the yes vote increased from 141 in November to 331 Tuesday, but the no vote also increased, from 400 to 493.

"We're gaining ground," he said.

A family with a $50,000 house would have paid an additional $41.80 in property taxes if the proposal had passed.

The school district sought the increase after a five-year enrollment decline from 704 students to 574 reduced compensation from the state by more than half-a-million dollars. Biggs said he now believes the district's enrollment has stabilized.

When the November tax levy failed, Biggs said a reduction in staff would be the only way the district could make up its shortfall. At that time he anticipated cutting 10 to 12 jobs. The district's financial situation has improved somewhat since then, Biggs said, but the district still must cut about $300,000 from its budget.

"Right now I couldn't tell you where we will cut," he said.

The district has until April 1 to notify teachers who will not be rehired. Otherwise by law they are automatically rehired.

"The board has a lot of decisions to make between now and the first of April," Biggs said.

He said it is possible the levy could be put back before voters in June in time to affect next year's budget. "But the board's got to consider that we've been told no twice," he said. "Is that what we want to do?"