Schools

Millage Concerns Drive Farmington Council Member's No Vote

Greg Cowley says passage of the bond would tip the city toward 50 mills in overall taxation, which could drive away residential development.

Farmington city council member Greg Cowley said he believes in strong schools and knows that both residential and commercial development benefit from them. 

Still, he opposes the $220 million Farmington Public Schools bond referendum on the Aug. 6 ballot.

Educated in Catholic schools, Cowley admits he is having a hard time "culturally" understanding the bond proposal, which includes technology and security improvements in all K-12 buildings, improvements to athletic fields and performing arts spaces at the high schools, and making classrooms, media centers and common areas more flexible learning spaces. 

Cowley said he has asked how the investment will improve test scores and graduation rates, and whether demographics show the district will still need the classrooms in years to come. "I got no good answers," he said. 

He is also concerned that, if the referendum passes, the city's overall millage rate – including city and county taxes – will move closer to 50 mills. Cowley said he has spoken with residential developers who say, at that level, their return on investment and the opportunity to sell to young families starts to diminish. 

If the city ends up having to increase its millage "to ensure our survival", he said, "that would push us well over 50 mills." 

"It's an irresponsible request for monies by the school board," Cowley said. "It will affect businesses in the downtown and the surrounding marketplace, and it will impact housing." 

Cowley wants to know the market value of properties the district is "sitting on," including the Maxfield Training Center in downtown Farmington, and vacant parcels left behind after the demolition of closed schools in 2011. The former Flanders Elementary School, he said, could accommodate 20 homes.

"They're really not being a very good partner with the city, in my opinion," he said. "(The bond) is going to price us out of the market, in a very tough market in the first place." 

The vote, Cowley believes, could be a close one. He has spoken with people who say they're willing to give up a trip to Starbucks in order to shoulder the additional monthly cost of the bond.  

"I've also spoken with people on fixed incomes who are just beside themselves," he said.

 


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