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Election 2011

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Steamboat Springs — During a brief joint meeting Tuesday, Steamboat Springs School Board members told their City Council counterparts that passage of the statewide Proposition 103 could prevent district budget cuts for the next several years. The School Board, which unanimously endorsed Proposition 103 last week, did not ask the council to do the same.

The statewide income and sales tax increase would raise an estimated $2.9 billion for public schools in Colorado over a five-year period before sunsetting. If passed by voters in November, the Colorado Center on Law and Policy estimates Proposition 103 would net the Steamboat school district $1.2 million annually.

Anticipating a 4 to 5 percent reduction in state funding next school year, Superintendent Brad Meeks, who addressed the council with board members Brian Kelly and Laura Anderson, said extra revenue from Proposition 103 likely would allow his district to break even.

“If Proposition 103 went through, that would basically offset the cuts we’re expecting and hold us stable for the next five years,” Meeks told the council.

Councilman Kenny Reisman asked the board members how Proposition 103’s passage or failure would affect students in Steamboat.

“We’ve protected programs so far, but there were several that were in question last year,” Anderson said. “I can’t say yet where we’re going to have to cut, but the impacts are coming, and this is going to be a tough year for us.”

Councilman Walter Magill said it will be a tough year for voters to approve any tax increase.

“It’s a worthy cause, but a lot of people are hurting financially,” he said. “It’s a tall order you’re under.”

City Council President Cari Hermacinski asked whether the board knew if it would be able to contribute to the salary of a school resource officer who works at Steamboat Springs High School. While the salary has been split by the school district and the city in previous years, Anderson said the school district currently is not contributing to it.

“Last year, we were faced with do we cut fifth-grade band, and the year before that, we looked at cutting counselors,” she said. “We would love to contribute (funds for the resource officer position) and go back to 50-50, but we don’t know if it’s going to shake out.”

— To reach Scott Franz, call 970-871-4210 or email scottfranz@SteamboatToday.com