Englewood residents Davon Williams and Katie Wilberding Cross are running for two seats on the Englewood Board of Education.  

Englewood Public School Superintendent Joanna Polzin said Cross and Williams are the only two candidates running and while their names will be on the November ballot, they will fill the seats as they’re running unopposed.  

In addition to school board seats, voters will also have the option to answer a question regarding the Debt-Free Schools Mill Levy. The board approved this ballot measure in a special meeting on Aug. 29.  

A mill levy is the tax rate that is applied to the assessed value of a property. One mill levy is $1 per $1,000 of the assessed value of a property. 

District documents show the question will appear on the ballot as follows: 

“Shall Arapahoe County School District no. 1 taxes be increased by not more than $4 million in 2023 for collection in 2024 and by such amounts as may be received in any year thereafter from a mill levy of up to 11 mills, with such revenue to be used for ongoing cash funding for new technology, existing technology upgrades, maintenance needs of the district, and capital construction provided:   

• Such revenue will be utilized to offset costs which will free up more general fund revenue for purposes such as continuing to attract and retain quality staff including but not limited to teachers, custodians, paraeducators, bus drivers, and nutrition services personnel; and  
• Such mill levy may be increased annually to generate the prior year’s revenue adjusted for the annual increase in the consumer price index; 

Provided that the mill levy for the first year shall not exceed 5 mills and no mill levy increase from year to year thereafter shall exceed one mill in any particular year; and shall such additional revenues, imposed pursuant to and in accordance with section 22-54-108.7, C.R.S., be deposited into the supplemental capital construction, technology and maintenance fund; and shall the district be authorized to increase such mill levy -4- beginning in tax collection year 2024 and annually thereafter to offset property tax refunds or abatements or reductions in the percentage of actual valuation used to determine assessed valuation?” 

 Polzin said if passed the mill levy will not increase property taxes for Englewood homeowners. She said it “will be instrumental in ensuring our staff receive the compensation they deserve, and our students continue to have access to high quality programming,” 

Additionally, if passed, the district will utilize the revenue from the mill levy for funding for technology, maintenance, capital construction and educational programming.  

Polzin said if voters vote yes this will be the first mill levy passed for the district since 2016.  

Mary Cooper, executive director of budget and finance said the mill levy will enable the district to continue investing responsibly into its schools.  

“Englewood Schools will decrease our overall General Obligation Bond Mill Levy by approximately five mills and increase the Debt-Free Schools Act mill by the same amount, resulting in no net change for overall residential property taxes,” Cooper said.  “We can invest in our students and teachers without raising property taxes for homeowners.” 

The district’s website says, if passed, the mill levy will generate $4 million in the first year, with the ability to increase by one mill annually and won’t go over five mills each year.  

Additionally, the district said, if passed “business owners will invest $16 monthly per $500,000 of assessed valuation to strengthen Englewood schools and uplift our community.” 

For more information on the mill levy visit /www.englewoodschools.net/who-we-are/candidate-info.