Voters in Colorado Springs School District 11 decide on Issue 4B for school upgrades

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- UPDATE -- As of Wednesday morning, Issue 4B failed by a narrow margin of 704 votes.

The latest result shows 40,512 voted for the issue, with 50.87% voting against it and 49.13% voting in favor of it.

(TUESDAY'S STORY)

Four years after School District 11 voters approved a tax increase for financial needs, D-11 is asking voters for more help.

But it won't cost voters anything this time, supporters said.

In Issue 4B on the Election Day ballot, D-11 voters are asked to approve the borrowing of $350 million in bonds -- similar to loans -- for school facilities construction and capital improvements.

The money would be used to build new schools and renovate existing facilities.

"There's 16 schools in District 11 that have been identified as needing significant enough repairs or improvements, that they'll be completely rebuilt from the ground up, or the entire inside of it will be completely remodeled," said Anthony Carlson, campaign manager for Friends of D-11.

In 2017, voters approved a mill levy increase that generates more money for teacher salaries and other personnel upgrades.

Passage of the bond question would mean major improvements at the West School Campus in west Colorado Springs, for example.

The campus is currently shared by a middle school and an elementary school; if voters approve 4B, the middle school would be rebuilt and the elementary school would move to a new location.

The original West School building opened in 1924, and has problems common to many of the district's older buildings -- outdated heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (or no air conditioning at all), and asbestos in walls and floors.

Jarrod Torrez, the middle school's assistant principal, said that capital improvements will create a better and safer learning environment.

"We don't even have a sprinkler system in case of a fire," he said. "It gets tough. We don't have air conditioning. Makes it tough to get the job done. We have to open windows, use fans, things like that. We don't have a ton of air flow."

Carlson said that the bond request comes as D-11 paid off its existing debt early.