What school bonds and overrides do
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Illustration: Rebecca Zisser / Axios
About 20 Valley school districts are asking voters to increase their funding through mechanisms called bonds and overrides.
Why it matters: School districts argue the money they receive from the state isn't enough to maintain programs like art and music classes or make necessary building repairs.
How it works: Bonds and overrides require voter approval because they increase property taxes for people who live in the school district.
Caveat: Many of the districts requesting bond or override approvals already have these measures in place and are asking voters to continue the funding at the same level, meaning approval wouldn't increase property taxes, just maintain the same rate.
Zoom in: Here's a breakdown of how each funding stream works and how the money can be used:
🏗️ Bonds
These measures allow school districts to issue bonds — a form of debt — to pay for infrastructure or improvements like new schools, buses, roof repairs or computers.
- Districts then levy an additional property tax on area homeowners to repay the debt.
➕ Overrides
This allows districts to exceed their state-capped budget by as much as 15% and raise property taxes to pay for the extra spending.
- The additional money can be used for general classroom operations, including teacher pay and benefits.
The fine print: Your exact tax impact will depend on the specific bond or override request and the value of your property.
- Check your district's election pamphlet here to determine your tax impact.