District survey shows split opinion on May bond; cost and tax impact drove opposition

District staff (S5) presented high-level results from an independent Solvolytics survey sent by mail to roughly 15,000 registered voters; 1,152 completed responses were reported. The district characterized results as reflecting the close May vote and useful for refining a revised bond package.

S5 summarized that about 50 percent of respondents indicated support for the previously proposed bond package, 42 percent opposed and 8 percent declined to answer. "So you can see very reflective of the roughly 50-50 vote of passage and didn't pass," S5 said. The chief drivers for opposition were tax impact and concerns about total project cost; supporters cited the need for UPK. Focus groups reinforced that the community-center element was a frequent object of concern and that separating or dropping that component reduced friction for some voters.

Trustees said the survey and focus groups prompted rethinking of the proposal's scope; staff proposed separating the UPK core from optional community amenities and pursuing additional outreach before a potential fall vote.