Massive $250 Million Dollar School Bond issue to go to voters in Rapid City

Pat Powers

Possibly the single largest school bond bond issue ever in the state is to be put to voters in Rapid City on September 17th:

It will be up to voters to decide whether Rapid City Area Schools will receive the $250 million it seeks for an array of construction projects.

The district’s board of education on Monday approved a resolution authorizing a referendum on a bond issue in that amount. Plans to close several schools and build several others over the next three to six years will move forward with a few caveats.

Read the entire story here.

From experience here in Brookings, The Rapid City School Board might be serving up too big a bite for Rapid City taxpayers to swallow.  Keep watching this one.

7 thoughts on “Massive $250 Million Dollar School Bond issue to go to voters in Rapid City”

  1. Wow…so all of a sudden several schools need to be replaced at the same time! I’d love to see the specs on these buildings. It’s not fancy buildings that provide a good education…it’s good teachers and parents who care and are involved. It will be interesting to see how this goes over.

    1. The government education system never seems to be concerned with budgets or simply educating; everything has to be a palace. There seems to be no accountability for the results of the dollars spent per student.

  2. A one mil levy is on the high side of what I like to see, .5 would be more appropriate in a district RC’s size. The mil rate is what matters most, not the gross dollar amount.

    Brookings was the highest levy I’ve ever seen outside of a very small district desperate to keep their school going else the town dies. Totally irresponsible, still have no idea what your board was thinking.

      1. They’re probably thinking they can throw out some outrageous amount that will never pass so they seem reasonable when they ask for some slightly lower outrageous amount. It’s happening all over the state.

        1. The same thought crossed my mind. Open at 250, let property owners react, & then “compromise” at 150.

  3. At a glance, $250 million seems a high. Rapid’s total population is what? 80,000?

    Now, I confess: I haven’t read the details & perused fine print. Maybe it’s a worthwhile plan. I’ll reserve judgement until I know more. But that’s one eye-popping number!

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