Ironwood bond proposal fails

By LARRY HOLCOMBE

[email protected]

Ironwood — Voters in the Ironwood Area School District defeated a $16 million bond proposal Tuesday.

The vote failed 62% to 38%, with 1,154 people voting “no” and 711 voting “yes.”

The proposal called for building an Early Education Center on the site of the former Josephson’s Nursing Home next to the Luther L. Wright K-12 School. The surrounding area would have included a playground, parking area and redesigned bus loop at a cost of around $10.5 million.

An additional $5.5 million was proposed for updates to the main building, such as the expansion of learning spaces, infrastructure and security updates, and athletic facility improvements.

According the ballot language, the school was asking for 2.87 mills ($2.87 on each $1,000 taxable valuation) for 22 years to raise $16.1 million, calling it a 1.45 mill next increase over the prior year’s levy.

The proposed 1.45 mill increase would have brought the total millage for the district up to 5 mills, according to the district website.

“A taxable home valued at $50,000, would result in a total tax cost of about $250 per year to go to the school district,” said Powell in late March.

Ironwood Superintendent Travis Powell made several presentations around the community in the weeks up to the election and told the school board at its recent meeting that the general consensus about the project appeared positive.