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Lansing schools to seek bond issue approval in May

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The Lansing School District will hold a special election May 3 to ask for a $129.7 million bond issue to renovate several buildings.
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The Lansing School District will hold a special election in May to ask voters to approve a capital improvements bond issue.

The district wants to issue nearly $130 million in bonds over 30 years to revitalize four of its core buildings: Mt. Hope STEAM Magnet, Willow Elementary, Lewton Elementary and Sheridan Road STEM Magnet.

Lansing School Board President Gabrielle Lawrence says those sites would be fully torn down and replaced.

Additionally, Sexton High School would receive extensive renovations, including upgraded air conditioning.

Lawrence says the funding is not a new millage, but an extension of a current plan.

“We wouldn’t see any huge spike when you get your summer tax bill, you also wouldn’t see any substantial decline when it comes to school district property taxes,” Lawrence said. “It would just remain steady.”

Lawrence feels confident about the bond campaign’s success.

“We’ve been extremely lucky to have community support for mask mandates, for vaccine mandates … and I imagine that we will probably still have really strong community support for taking these steps that we’re talking about to improve the district with every tax dollar that we receive,” she added.

The Lansing School District special election will be held May 3.

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Kevin Lavery served as a general assignment reporter and occasional local host for Morning Edition and All Things Considered before retiring in 2023.