Voters deciding fate of Las Cruces Public Schools tax

LAS CRUCES -- On Tuesday, Dona Ana county voters will have a big decision to make when they go to the polls.

They will be given the choice to renew an existing tax to support students at Las Cruces Public Schools.

The tax itself is called HB 33 and supporters say it will generate about $10 million a year to fund health and safety projects.

Other projects that would pull funding from HB 33 include replacing outdated school furniture and securing new band instruments.

“The Public School Buildings Election is all about supporting our students and ensuring a positive learning environment for them,” said Dr. Karen Trujillo, Interim Superintendent for Las Cruces Public Schools. “Among many items, this mill levy will fund uniforms and instruments for fine arts programs, ADA compliant projects and will replace outdated furniture in the classrooms. These dollars will also be used to help us create an atmosphere where students have direct access to the latest technology, allowing them to exercise innovative ways to learn.”

The approval of the Las Cruces Public School Buildings Act will not increase the current school tax rate. If approved, the mill levy will assess local property taxes in the amount of $3.00 for every $1,000 of net taxable value of a person’s property for the next six years. The taxable value is one-third of the assessed value of a person’s property.