September 12, 2017 – This morning, GJEP and the Citizens for School District 51 jointly released the results of an economic impact analysis of the upcoming bond and mill levy. If passed, the bond and mill levy will not only help provide a stronger educational foundation for the Grand Valley’s youngest citizens, but it will have a direct, positive effect on our economy, according to the report. Here are the key findings from the analysis:

“This study measures the economic impact of the 3A and 3B on Mesa County. The revenue from these measures will fund a series of construction projects, equipment upgrades, and training opportunities. In addition, the study calculates the economic activity associated with the operations of District 51. A strong education system will support and benefit from Mesa County being a regional center of commerce, health care, and higher education for the Western Slope.

The key construction findings for the bond issue are:
 Revenue from the bond issue will support 287 direct construction-related employees for 24 months.
 Revenue from the bond issue will support 488 total employees for 24 months (direct, indirect, induced).

The direct impact of the two-year project will be $155.3 million. The construction funding from the bond issue would provide a short-term boost to the Mesa County economy. If the construction activity associated with the mill levy, $1 million, is broken out from the mill levy total, the key construction findings are:
 Revenue from the mill levy will support seven direct construction employees per year.
 Revenue from the mill levy will support 13 total employees per year (direct, indirect, induced).

The direct impact of spending from revenue generated by the mill levy will be almost $1.7 million. The key employment and impact findings of the operations of District 51 for 2016-2017 are:
 District 51 supports 2,737 FTE direct employees.
 District 51 supports 3,664 FTE total employees (direct, indirect, induced).
 The direct benefit of District 51 is $193.6 million.

Total economic activity associated with District 51 is $305.7 million. The passage of the mill levy would increase this impact to $312.2 million. If the construction from the mill levy is calculated separately then economic activity will be almost $312.9 million.

Note: The 2,737 direct employees (District 51) are not new incremental workers.

The revenue from the bond issue will provide intangible benefits to the community beyond the above-mentioned economic benefits. The upgrades funded by the bond issue will:

  • Help teachers better meet the needs of students.
  • Increase community pride in quality education.
  • Strengthen ties between commerce and education.
  • Students will be more motivated with better facilities.
  • Serve as a tool to attract and retain businesses.
  • Increase property values of Mesa County residents.
  • Increase the number of opportunities to create partnerships to develop workforce training programs.
  • Raise the quality of teaching and student achievement.
  • Identify and address security and safety challenges.
  • Make it possible to utilize current technologies.
  • Better facilities can increase creativity and innovation.
  • School facilities, such as gyms, serve as a gathering spot.”

Read the full economic impact analysis of ballot initiatives 3A and 3B here. Vote yes on 3A and 3B!