Bernalillo Public Schools board approves bond, maintains mill levy rate

BERNALILLO — The Bernalillo Public Schools Board of Education approved a $30 million general bond election question to be placed on the ballot this fall while opting not to ask voters for a property tax increase.

The five-member board, excluding board member Christine Suina, voted in favor of two separate resolutions June 26: one approving the bond question for the Nov. 4 election and another maintaining the mill levy rate, a $2 property tax on each $1,000 of taxable land. The same levy rate helped the district pay for a $6.8 million bond voters approved in 2023.

In an interview following the BPS board meeting, Board President Paul Madrid talked about the importance of the bond, saying the district’s brick-and-mortar schools “require a tremendous amount of work,” including with heating and air conditioning systems.

“In order to do that, we need to pass the bond,” Madrid said.

In terms of maintaining the levy rate, Madrid said many of the district’s constituents are living on a fixed income, “so it’s important we don’t add any undue burden to them.”

If approved by voters, the bond funds will go toward projects including improving school grounds, purchasing computer software and hardware and providing matching funds to building projects, according a board resolution.

The board’s decision follows the Rio Rancho Public Schools Board of Education approving its own bond, in addition to elections for open school board seats, during a June 23 meeting.