Editor,

I believe it is time to stop paying additional property taxes to fund the Los Alamos Public  Schools (LAPS), and vote against the Public School Buildings Act Tax, which is on the November 2 ballot. 

The levy will “continue to impose a property tax of $3.246 for residential and non-residential  property per each $1,000.00 of net taxable value of property allocated to the Los Alamos Public  School district for the property tax years 2022…2027”. The LAPS already receives Federal,  State, DOE, Covid, and County property tax money to run and maintain the Los Alamos Schools.  According to the National Center for Educational Statistics website, at the end of last year there  was $6.3M unspent from total revenues of $49.4M (13% surplus). 

It is unnecessary to continue to allow the LAPS to impose additional property taxes to fund this  ongoing mill levy for 6 additional years, given operating surpluses. Many Los Alamos families  and households do not run surpluses and this year’s inflation rate is already >5% with rising  food and energy costs and winter on the horizon. 

I also understand that the overall property taxes for Los Alamos County are about to increase  significantly due to increases in assessments as a result of rising home values. This will already  increase all property taxes next year. Prepare for the sticker shock! How about a break to cover  this increase? 

The LAPS needs to find ways to reduce its costs, as all residents will in the coming years. 

It is being deceptively stated that this mill levy would not increase our taxes, but voting against will reduce them!  

Sharon Dry 
White Rock