Columbia School District Bond Measure (April 2010)

There was a Columbia School District Bond Measure on the April 6 ballot in Boone County for voters in the Columbia school district.

This measure was approved

• YES 17,253 (77.22%)a
  
• NO 5,089 (22.78%)

This measure sought to create a bond in the amount of $120 million and would be used to build a new High school and Elementary school for the district. The leftover money from these two building projects will be used then towards the gymnasium project at another high school.

A campaign against this measure, a local group copied fliers for positions on voting 'No' on the back of a non profit's recycled fliers, a non profit which has no stand on the issue. Although the non profit noted their issues with being linked to the measure, the opposition campaign threw away the fliers in question.

School district are not allowed to use public funds to campaign for ballot issues, so the school has been asking for donations to help with the promotion of this issue. Different vendors and supporters have come forward to donate to the campaign, not expecting any special treatment, but rather promoting schools as they see fit.

The League of Women Voters had put their support behind this issue, they feel that it is essential to maintain smaller class sizes and to ensure programs that benefit the students.

Additional reading

• The Missourian, "Breakdown of Columbia School Board bond issue," March 19, 2010