Public School Capital Construction board adds its voice to the anti 60, 61 and 101 chorus

The public entities opposing Amendments 60, 61 and proposition 101 on the fall ballot keeps growing.

The state's Capital Construction Assistance Board for Building Excellent Schools Today program formally opposed the measures this week, joining  entities the Aurora Public Schools Board of Education, the Cherry Creek Schools Board of Education and the Aurora City Council.

The initiatives bound for the November ballot would severely limit tax levies, restrict local governments’ ability to borrow money and reduce the legal scope of bond projects across the state. School boards and city councils across the state are rallying to defeat the measures.

The BEST initiative is funded through the state land trust, lottery proceeds, matching grant funds and leftover money from previous grant programs.

The full release from BEST follows after the jump.

The Capital Construction Assistance Board for the Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) program has declared formal opposition to Amendment 60, Amendment 61 and Proposition 101. 

One resolution opposed Amendment 61 and another opposed Amendments 60 and 61 and Proposition 101. Both were adopted at the Capital Construction Assistance Board meeting last week. One resolution stated, “Colorado has been falling behind the rest of the nation for decades when it comes to investment in education and preschool through higher education. The three initiatives on the November 2010 ballot threaten to slash both local and state funding for education far below this already unacceptable level.”

Resolution 10-3 states, “Amendment 61 would ban the use of Certificates of Participation (COPs) by the state of Colorado. The BEST program relies on the issuance of COPs to provide funding for the vast majority of the health and safety school capital assistance provided by the program, which would prevent schools from providing adequate student facilities and healthy learning environments. The BEST COPs do not require any increase in state taxes or fees.”

Resolution 10-4 states, “Amendment 60 would cut local support of public schools – including mill levy overrides already passed by local communities – in half, without providing the state any source of funds to make up for the loss.”

Resolution 10-4 also states, “Proposition 101 would cut an array of state and local taxes that currently support preschool, K-12 and higher education.”