Portales, Dora school levy up for election

Portales and Dora school districts are each holding a Public School Capital Improvements Tax Election on Tuesday.

Polling takes place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The “two-mill levy” in each district raises money for equipment, maintenance, remodeling and repairs. For both districts, approval of the mill levy won’t raise taxes, but will continue a tax that has been in effect for decades.

The mill levies impose a tax of $2 per $1,000 of taxable property value in the school district per year for six years.

“It’s not a really expensive thing for an individual, but it sure is helpful to the district,” Portales Superintendent Randy Fowler said.

Fowler has said the district couldn’t survive without it.

For Portales schools, the two-mill levy is expected to raise about $435,000 at the local level, with the state providing matching money of about $395,000, if voters approve the tax, according to district information.

Dora Consolidated School District would receive a total of about $63,000 from the local tax and state contribution if the tax passes, Superintendent Steve Barron said.

“We don’t get that much, but every little bit helps,” he said.

In Portales, past two-mill levies have provided playground equipment, parking lot improvements, window replacements, softball field lighting and more, according to district information. Future Portales two-mill levy money is earmarked for such things as football field maintenance, portable classrooms, computer purchases and roof repairs.

In Dora, Barron said, past mill levy money has been used mainly for remodeling and maintenance. If the measure passes Tuesday, he hopes to prioritize saving the money to redo the Luscombe Gym roof, as well as using it for maintenance and replacement of small items.

“It’s very important for our community to get behind supporting the two-mill levy to continue doing positive things for our district,” Barron said.