Gov. Joe Lombardo recently signed Assembly Bill 224, legislation proposed to provide rural Nevada school districts with funding to replace or repair aging buildings.
The State of Nevada has been authorized to sell up to $100M in general obligation bonds. Districts only qualify for bond proceeds if they have populations of fewer than 15,000 residents, are at the state tax cap and have a school that severely needs upkeep.
Districts also must be able to prove they are unable to raise enough money to repair/replace the buildings without state intervention. NVBEX covered the legislation earlier this year. (NVEX; Feb. 11)
The first bout of funding is likely to go to White Pine County School District. The District holds both a middle and an elementary school that are more than 110 years old.
These properties have asbestos, structural weaknesses, roof leaks, security gaps, heating issues, disability access issues and other problems. Locals agreed to an additional tax to pay for infrastructure, but White Pine’s limited economy and Nevada’s slim tax structure have made it difficult to build. (Source)
