Need for schools critical, Alpine says

AMERICAN FORK — At this election, Alpine School District hopes you vote "yes" to two questions: One that will permit the district to increase taxes to build schools and another that will increase taxes to operate the schools.

The schools are needed, Alpine officials say. After all, the 56,215-student district is one of the fastest growing in the state, and it projects and enrollment of 64,750 by 2010.

The district has the construction projects divided into four phases that will roughly span between 2007 and 2011. If the anticipated growth doesn't materialize, officials say, then the construction schedule would be slowed.

But a group of Orem residents do not want you to believe that the new debt and buildings are necessary just yet.

The group hopes to secede from the district and start a smaller district for the 15,000 Orem students who attend Alpine schools. They believe the additional bonds and buildings will complicate the division of assets and debts if there is a division.

Bond basics

The district wants the public to approve the issuance and sale of $230 million in bonds to fund the construction of a new high school in Saratoga Springs, two new middle schools in the north and west areas of the district, and five new elementary schools in the north and west areas of the district.

The district plans to reserve $7 million to purchase property, Alpine business administrator Rob Smith said.

And if the bond is OK'd by voters, 13 existing schools would be remodeled. Orem High is slated to be rebuilt on its existing site.

The increase in the voted leeway would pay for utilities and staff at new schools and projects such as a teacher-mentoring program.

The district plans to pay off current bond debt while adding on new bond debt. It's called "layering," and taxes should not increase above the 2005 tax rate of .008082. Bond debt will be repaid in 15 years.

The Alpine School District Board of Education decided in July to decrease the certified property tax rate this year to .006883, and so most owners of homes and businesses will experience a tax

increase next year if the bond and leeway are passed in November.

If the bond is approved, property taxes on a $200,000 house will increase $33 a year in about four years, if all the bonds are issued.