These are final unofficial election results for South County, with 100 percent of precincts reporting. Look for continuing coverage this week online and in print.
‘The Mehlville School District’s Proposition S bond issue passed with 80 percent of the vote, as did Hancock Place School District’s Proposition R bond issue. For Mehlville, this marked the first time voters passed a bond issue since 1992. The district had been the only one in St. Louis County without a bond issue to fund facilities. The campaign committee supporting the ballot measure, the Mehlville-Oakville United Committee, posted on Facebook, “Prop S is a resounding victory with more than 80% of the vote. Our community came together for our schools and our kids. Voters, THANK YOU!”
Voters approved the Mehlville School District’s Proposition S bond issue with more than 80 percent of the vote Tuesday, the first time voters passed a bond issue since 1992.
South County voters also approved Hancock Place School District’s Proposition R bond issue, which is also a no-tax-rate-increase bond issue.
Mehlville had been the only school district in St. Louis County without a bond issue to fund facilities. Proposition S, a 12-cent, $35 million bond issue, will use part of the funds left from paying off the lease approved by 2000’s Proposition P for facilities to fund secure vestibule entrances at all 18 of Mehlville’s schools, along with basic maintenance and accessibility at all schools. Proposition S stood for “Safe Schools, Safe Kids.”
To find your polling place and a sample ballot, click here.
But who will you vote for? Local candidates have answered our comprehensive candidate questionnaires, which cover every topic you could possibly want to know in each race. See below for links to races, their questionnaires and endorsements and then information on the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District’s bond issue and charter changes.
You can also read our bonus letters to the editor we received about the candidates.
MSD
Real all about MSD’s proposals, Proposition Y and Propositions 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 here
MSD has a bond issue, Proposition Y, on the ballot. Voters will decide how they want to pay for upgrades required by the federal government: Pay as you go, in which case rates will be much higher, or a bond issue, in which rates will still rise but not nearly as much.
To the editor: It’s simple, really. The Mehlville School District’s Proposition S bond issue on the April 6 ballot is a zero-tax-rate increase. It is a reallocation of funds that are already being paid by the taxpayer. Because of oversight, it requires a vote by the people. Secondly, parents have communicated that safety is the.
This week we received a letter outlining the proposed Mehlville School District bond proposal.
For the most part, the work seems reasonable. Although the cost is $2.4 million per year for the term of the bonds, it is described as a “no-tax-increase” proposal because the Board of Education is voluntarily decreasing the operating levy by an equal amount. My concern is the “no-tax-increase” description.
By retiring the COP (certificates of participation) leases, the board appears to be freeing up about $9 million and will use about $6.6 million for operating needs, leaving $2.4 million voluntarily deferred. How long will it be until these additional funds are needed for operations? At that point, the “no tax-increase” bond proposal is, in effect, a tax increase. This could be done at any time.