For Immediate Release:
Contact: Rick Reo, Superintendent
(269) 415-5200
rick.reo@ppps.org
Paw Paw Public Schools Bond Election Defeated by 45 Votes
Paw Paw, MI – (August 4, 2021) On August 3, voters in the Paw Paw Public School District had the opportunity to vote on a $53.6 million school bond proposal. In addition to district-wide improvements to every facility, the major projects of the Bond Proposal would have included the addition of an indoor multipurpose space to the high school, a new outdoor multipurpose stadium at the high school, and a new Early Childhood Center, which would have allowed for expanded preschool opportunities for three and four-year-old children throughout the Paw Paw area. According to unofficial results released on www.electionreporting.com, in total 1279 people voted ‘Yes’ and 1324 people voted ‘No’ on the bond proposal, representing 49% to 51%.
“I think the Paw Paw School District really missed out on a great opportunity to invest in some needed facility improvements to improve the educational environments for our students in a way that would not only make them safer but also more supportive of our goal of achieving high levels of learning for all students,” said Superintendent Rick Reo. “With the tremendous outpouring of school support we’ve seen from so many in our community, it comes as a disappointment that the bond proposal was defeated. We did our best to educate voters, and they made their decision. Now we have to accept it, learn from it and move on.”
Had it been approved, the bond proposal would have increased the district’s existing debt millage rate by 1.0 mill. For a home with a $50,000 taxable value ($100,000+ market value), the estimated tax increase for a homeowner was projected to be less than $5 per month.
Additional bond improvement projects would have included:
- STEM Lab/Makerspace renovation in the high school
- Replace outdated furniture with modern, flexible furniture in all buildings
- Replace aging mechanical equipment throughout the district
- Building envelope updates to increase energy efficiencies
- Traffic flow redesign and increased parking at the high school
- Roof replacements at both elementary buildings
- New flooring in the Early Elementary building
- New track at Falan Field and new tennis courts at the high school
“Even though the bond proposal did not pass, I am extremely grateful for the team that devoted so much time and energy toward helping us realize our vision for the future of Paw Paw Public Schools,” said Reo. “I am confident that I speak for the entire team when I say that while we are discouraged, we are not defeated. Our kids continue to be worth our efforts, and our work will not end until we’ve achieved a community-wide agreement regarding the district’s facility needs and a commitment to meet those needs in order to give all of our students the amazing educational experiences that they rightly deserve.”
# # #