Jeffco voters reject tax measures to support schools and teacher pay

Jefferson County voters on Tuesday night soundly rejected two tax measures supporting the county’s school district.

The district’s ask for a $535 million bond and $33 million mill levy override — a type of tax increase — come just one year after three conservative board members were recalled and replaced.

The bond measure was falling 53.5 percent to 46.4 percent, while the mill levy override was losing 53 percent to 47 percent, according to returns Tuesday night.

The bond would have added classrooms at several schools, paid for $35 million in deferred maintenance, replaced four schools and added three new elementary schools.

Among other things, the mill levy dollars would have paid for for teacher salaries, added a part-time counselor to every elementary school and added six full-time staff members to the district’s security and emergency management teams.

Colorado Votes 2016 | For more live coverage and results click here.The bond request for Jeffco is the second largest in the state in a year with a record number of school tax requests on local ballots.