30-Second Summary:
Schools have a core mission: to educate students.
In every facet of life, a mission should guide how funds are spent. In education, that means every dollar should first support teaching and learning needs. Only after those needs are met should districts fund what’s considered “extra.”
Unfortunately, that prioritization may not be happening in the Atlantic Community School District (CSD).
During 2025, the Atlantic CSD Board of Education decided to commit $18.5 million of its future 1-cent sales tax revenue—known as SAVE—for a new multipurpose indoor sports practice facility at Atlantic High School. Thanks to a taxpayer petition, this proposal is now on the November ballot for voter approval; without that action, the project could have been approved by a simple majority vote of the Board.
At the same time, the Board is also sending a $22.5 million general obligation (GO) bond to voters for their approval this November. This project, to be funded by property taxes, would pay for classroom additions, secure entrances, and other facility upgrades throughout the district.
Many residents see value in both projects. But the Board has its priorities upside down. The district should focus its financial resources on its core mission—educating students. Tax dollars should first go to projects that directly support learning, such as those in the general obligation bond. While a new fieldhouse might be nice to have, it is not essential to fulfilling the district’s mission.
The Financial Picture
Currently, Atlantic CSD uses its SAVE funds for essential infrastructure—technology, buses and vehicles, non-instructional software, building and grounds maintenance, roof replacements, and other ongoing needs. The district receives about $2 million per year from SAVE, enough to fund many classroom improvements without increasing property taxes.
Now, however, the Board has chosen to use SAVE for an unnecessary athletic facility while relying on higher property taxes to pay for the classroom projects tied to its educational mission.
If the $22.5 million general obligation bond passes, the average Atlantic homeowner with a $150,000 home would see their property taxes increase by about $73 per year. If it fails—or if the district instead uses SAVE dollars for these projects and not the athletic facility—homeowners would see roughly a $93 annual reduction in their property tax bill.
In other words: the district could fund classroom improvements with existing revenue, but it’s asking homeowners to foot a larger bill instead.
It’s About Priorities, Not Spending
No one is arguing against investing in public education. The issue is how those investments are prioritized. The Atlantic CSD should use its existing resources to improve classrooms, safety, and learning environments before building new athletic facilities.
Thanks to the citizen petition, voters now have the final say. They can choose to reject either of the bond proposals, or both, and send district leaders back to the drawing board.
Taxpayers deserve a plan that puts students and learning first. Regardless of the bond election results, Atlantic taxpayers need to attend future School Board meetings and hold leaders accountable. They should insist that tax dollars go where they’re needed most—the classroom.
The Facts