Lawmakers weigh partial state help for Claremont school district after moratorium

Representative Hope Damon presented HB 13-99 seeking a $5 million appropriation to assist the Claremont School District, which approved a renovation during a period when state building aid was under a moratorium. Damon and local witnesses described the timing as an adverse event that left the district to shoulder a larger bond burden and long‑term payments.

Testimony recounted the history: Stevens High School’s renovation was completed after a bond narrowly failed in 2010 and a downscaled project moved forward in 2013 without state building aid. Witnesses, including Mayor Charlene Lovett, described an ongoing fiscal strain in the district and a recently identified $5 million deficit tied to audit and management issues.

Members and witnesses debated the $5 million figure. Representative Michael Cahill offered a lower‑cost alternative (roughly $3.7 million) as a possible compromise. Tim Carney from the Department of Education provided technical input about building‑aid procedures and noted the bill’s current language would appropriate funds directly to a non‑state entity, a point raised in the fiscal note.

The committee closed the hearing and forwarded HB 13-99 to Division 2 for further consideration next week; members asked for audit updates, fiscal‑note detail and potential statewide precedential effects before recommending action.