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No One Asked Me But… (November 30, 2011)

By DR. LARRY MOSES

No one asked me but… In November, 1998, the people of Clark County voted to pass a bond issue that cost the owner of a home valued at $100,000 about $20 a year. This bond has provided $4.9 billion in capital improvement funds for the Clark County School District.

By definition, a capital improvement is the addition of a permanent structural improvement or the restoration of some aspect of a property that will enhance the property’s overall value or increases its useful life.

The district indicated it would use the money to build 50 elementary schools, 22 middle schools, and 16 high schools. About $115 million would be used to purchase land, and $31 million would be budgeted for two new regional bus yards. Existing schools would receive $854 million for renovations during the life of the tax measure. This bond issue was clearly for capital improvements.

Thirteen years have passed and the bond issue is reaching its end. The district completed the construction of 101 new schools and 11 replacement schools. It has spent $1.6 billion on school improvements.

According to Jeff Weiler, the chief financial officer for the school district, the district has spent $4.3 billion of the $4.9 billion. Mr. Weiler has indicated that the remaining $550 million has been obligated to projects and land purchases.

The district defended this money from the governor when he wanted to take $300 million in Clark County school bond money to help balance the state budget. In February 2011, the Board voted 7-0 to oppose the use of such money to balance the State budget or “for any other purpose” not approved by voters in the original 1998 vote for the multi-billion dollar bond.

In defense of the bond money, Chris Garvey, our school board trustee, realizing renovation of older schools would be delayed if the governor took the bond money, asked, “How long do I have to tell my constituents to hold on?”

Weiler told the governor he should not take the money because, “We’re only able to do break/fix maintenance, meaning if a major system like air conditioning breaks, it can be fixed. But carpet, paint and other repairs are done on a 17-year cycle.”

After a recent conversation with Trustee Garvey, it became clear that there is no desire on the part of the bond oversight committee or the school board to build a larger gym facility on the Moapa Valley High School campus. After the phone conversation, I sent an e-mail to Trustee Garvey asking three questions. She forwarded my inquiries to David Lasic in the finance department.

The first question was: What is the status of the new gym for MVHS, now that bond money is not needed for new construction?

Mr. Lasic’s reply was: “Moapa Valley High School has a major unfunded modernization need. The current unfunded modernization need across the District totals more than $330 million. Also, currently, there is a $2.6 billion immediate unfunded need for all schools in Clark County, with a $5 billion need over the next five years. However, due to the huge downward spiral in the economy, staggering amount of foreclosures, and declining property values, we do not have the capacity to issue any more bonds to fund our capital needs for several more years. The 1998 bond program does not have sufficient money available to fund the District’s existing and future capital needs. …it becomes a matter of maintaining our existing assets and balancing the needs of the many, which outweigh the needs of the few.”

Keeping in mind the needs of the many throughout the district as versus us few here in Moapa Valley, and accepting the premise that there is a limited amount of capital improvement funds, I explored the rumor that Ipads were being purchased with bond money designated for capital improvements.

I asked the question: “Is it a fact that $1 million dollars of capital improvement bond money was spent on Ipads?”

I was assured the Ipads in question were purchased with grant and general fund money.

My third question was: “Can you make available to me a list of items purchased, and their cost, with the bond money over the last year?”

The original answer was the document is 558 pages long and according to District Regulation 1211, I could purchase the report for $45.70. However, Mr. Lasic did make the document available electronically at no charge.

Having perused the document with the definition of capital improvements in mind and the fact that capital improvement money is at a premium, I concluded that the Bond Oversight Committee might want to re-evaluate some of the purchases made with this limited capital improvement source over the last year.

While I found no Ipads, I do wonder how some of the purchases qualify as capital improvements. According to the 558-page budget document, $33 million dollars in capital improvement money has been spent on non-capital improvement items such as computers, printers, computer programs, musical instruments, books, and office supplies. Ten thousand dollars worth of athletic washing machines were purchased at one high school. An elementary school had a $4,600 trophy case built. I believe our community was told to finance its own trophy cases. A Facilities Financial Management P.O. showed over $12,000 worth of utility vehicles being purchased.

I am not questioning the need for these items. However, I do question whether they are capital improvements. If the district is indeed in dire straits for funds for building maintenance to the tune of “over a $2.6 billion immediate unfunded need for all schools in Clark County, with a $5 billion need over the next five years. … (and) …not…(having) …the capacity to issue any more bonds to fund our capital needs for several more years.” One must question the wisdom of spending $33 million dollars specifically raised for capital improvements on non-capital improvement items.

In a phone conversation, a District financial official indicated that as of June 30, 2011 there was $530 million dollars left in the 1998 bond fund.

While the needs of the many are being met with the remaining $523 million, maybe it would not be too selfish to think that $7 million could be used to meet the needs of the few, by building a gym for Moapa Valley High School.

Thought of the week…”You can fool all the people all the time if the advertising is right and the budget is big enough.”

-Joseph E. Levine

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