Voters in Widefield school District 3 will be asked to pass the first new bond in nearly a decade later this year.

Following years of assessment and public polling, the D-3 Board of Education unanimously approved to authorize ballot measures for a mill levy override and a bond to address critical infrastructure needs across the district.

The mill levy override would total $5.2 million and go toward maintaining existing programming in the district, including its robotics and coding, college and career readiness and career and technical education programs, and recruiting and retaining district staff.

The bond total is $88 million, which looks to address structural needs in the majority of the district’s schools. Needs identified in the schools range from heating, ventilation and air conditioning installations to boiler replacements to asbestos removal and structural additions. Among the most severe health and safety hazards identified was structural damage to North Preschool caused by years of termite activity.

Assessments of all the schools date back years, but D-3 Superintendent Aaron Hoffman noted that recent property tax increases and the politics surrounding the presidential election dissuaded them from presenting the ballot measures last year.

He added that support behind the proposed bond and mill levy override significantly increased this year over polling conducted in 2024.

“I think the one thing we really leaned into this year is the common-sense nature of: If something goes out, it’s not going to get better by doing nothing about it. It’s just going to get more expensive as we go along,” he said.

The last time voters approved a bond for the district was in 2017, which was used to build Grand Mountain School in 2019, make districtwide improvements to existing schools, alleviate the need for portable classrooms, and upgrade buses.

Widefield schools win OK for bond issue, tax increase

The tax increases from the bond and mill levy override were estimated to be about $3 and $2.50, respectively, monthly per $100,000.

In addition to these funds, D-3 was also recently approved for grant funding through the Colorado Department of Education’s Building Excellent Schools Today program. The funds hinge on the bond passing, but would provide an additional $5.7 million for North Preschool upgrades for $16.3 million in total funds.

Over the past year, D-3 board President Greg Fisher said that he’s heard from constituents that “It’s time to do it,” since local property taxes have stabilized since last year’s increase and signs of an improving economy have cleared up past uncertainties.

“So, with that certainty, people know what their incomes are and they are a lot more accepting of what we’re trying to show,” he said. “And it’s the transparency: Here’s what we need the money for. And when you’ve got termites, there’s not much you can do with that.”

Between the board’s vote and the ballot election on Nov. 4, the Widefield Information Network — a volunteer committee comprised of parents, students and committee members — will inform the public about the ballot measures via open houses and other events.

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