I run the Rio Grande Foundation, New Mexico’s free market think tank. We opposed the recent property tax hike, but like everyone else, I want a high quality education for all New Mexicans. I have three young children, two of whom are in Albuquerque Public Schools schools, so I feel I have plenty at stake in the education discussions happening in both Santa Fe and APS.
So, for starters, I find it troubling that Kizito Wijenje, executive director of the APS Capital Master Plan recently called my organization a “faux think tank.” I’m not even sure what that means, but if he has specific data that questions or counters what we stated during the campaign over the APS tax hike, I’d love to know what it is. Most often we simply publicized and replicated data from APS and other objective sources.
For example, their own budget clearly shows that the district is spending $16,5000 per student. While federal averages are tricky and data often lag, there is no question that $16,500 is a significant investment per student. Not only is APS going to be getting a significant infusion of operating expenses via the Legislature, but according to the National Education Association capital spending by New Mexico schools per-pupil is higher than any neighboring state. If APS (New Mexico’s largest school district by far) is somehow NOT spending as much as other districts on capital, then we’d love to know what APS is using to benchmark its capital spending against other districts.
Of course, there are plenty of ways to reduce capital outlay costs. One is by repealing the law that artificially increases construction costs on roads and schools. This law is known as “Davis-Bacon” or “prevailing wage”. Legislation (HB 377) was introduced in this session that would have repealed New Mexico’s “prevailing wage” law saving the District 10 percent or more on its construction costs, but no one from APS spoke in favor of the bill when it was heard in the House Labor Committee.
Instead, as education blogger Seth Saavedra noted in a recent blog posting, the District seems to have learned the wrong lessons from the recent tax hike defeat. APS has already announced that it has frozen facility maintenance. The decision smacks of punishing the students as opposed to any real budget shortfall, but RGF and others are researching the District’s budget situation for details. The District’s own budget document estimates $321.7 million in capital spending during 2018-2019. It would seem that a freeze in maintenance would be unnecessary.
There are many ways that APS could be more transparent and efficient in its capital spending. The Rio Grande Foundation is ready and willing to help. Baseless accusations won’t help. We need an honest and open dialogue for the benefit of our children.
What APS may not understand is that the mail-in election more accurately reflects the will of the electorate than the low-turnout schoolhouse voting of past years that enabled the teachers’ union to elect its own school board.
If APS is now required to consolidate its elections with municipal elections, higher voter turnout may give taxpayers an opportunity to take back the schools.
Excellent letter, Paul, and good comment by James.
Even if they aren’t moved, your readers should be. We have our doubts whether APS and its capital outlay spokesperson, Mr. Kizito “Bitter Loser” Wijenje, give a hoot about reducing capital costs.
(I posted one of your articles on my neighborhood website, and it received the same ad hominem attack, without addressing the underlying factual basis. “RGF is right-wing”)
No, we need only look at the administrative building going up over an entire block on Louisiana, which logs in at excess of $400 per SF. Now that their property tax increase is a no-go, they might have to cancel the marble bidets for their Little Versaille.
If they, and we, really cared about reducing their “capital outlays” (and our tax expenditures) we’d make APS competitive by way of a statewide voucher program, like what’s now in place in neighboring Arizona (until it’s not):
https://tucson.com/news/local/education/things-you-need-to-know-about-arizona-s-school-voucher/article_a0cb40ee-fe63-5776-8bb8-7ff0f8984818.html
When I came to Albuquerque in the late 1970’s, APS was one of the worst public schools systems in the U.S. Despite the expenditure of billions of dollars over the last 40 years, it remains one of the worst today. It is a school system with little or no accountability for students, teachers, administrators, parents or elected officials. Sadly it is the classic example of the non accountable public monopoly. It will never change. The best one can do is to try to avoid it.
Vouchers are the way to go. Vouchers would encourage more private schools, hence more competition. Competition drives quality up and prices down. Teachers pay would go up. Vouchers would be win-win for education, teachers, students (most importantly) and taxpayers.
Why are our government officials so blind to all this?