City Councilor Brook Bassan Asks for Support of APS Bonds at Municipal Election
October 19, 2021
The November 2nd Municipal Election includes proposals for Albuquerque Public School’s General Obligation Bond and Mil Levy proposals and City Councilor Brook Bassan is asking voters to support these proposals to improve our school’s infrastructure and community facilities.
“After many years of advocating for children, students, families, and residents in our city, Albuquerque Public Schools has demonstrated its commitment to all by working with our office to accumulate funding to build the North Domingo Baca Aquatic Center,” said Councilor Bassan. “The upcoming APS Mill Levy and GO Bond question put on the November 2nd ballot includes a $2 Million allocation to help construct a much-needed and desired pool in the Northeast Heights. This pool will help us create much more equitable access to swimming for families, residents, youth, seniors, and athletes. We will be another step closer to seeing this project finalize should this request pass with voter approval.”
The funding measures would provide $630 million for school infrastructure projects and will not increase taxes. The construction projects include some entirely new schools, new classrooms, technology upgrades, utility upgrades, school security and safety, and the aquatic center and North Domingo Baca. These projects will improve our communities’ schools and also provide a boost to our local economy with construction jobs to build these facilities.
"Collaboration for the benefit of our youth in Albuquerque is beneficial to our entire community,” said Dr. Gabriella Durán Blakey, Chief Operations Officer at Albuquerque Public Schools. “In addition to teaching children safe swimming in physical education classrooms, Albuquerque Public Schools values co-curricular and extracurricular activities for students such as art, music, and athletics. Education doesn’t happen only in the classroom. It occurs on the field, in the gym, on the stage, and, yes, in the swimming pool. We want young swimmers to have a place to compete just as we want the children of our communities to have a safe place to gather and have fun. That’s why it made sense for APS to include funding for the North Domingo Park Pool in the bond/mill levy package on the ballot. We are fortunate to have this facility within walking distance of our high school and have worked with our partners at the City of Albuquerque on similar projects in the past, and we hope voters will recognize the value of this proposed collaborative project when they go to the polls.”
The aquatic center at the North Domingo Baca Park will serve the La Cueva and Eldorado clusters, along with many other elementary, middle and charter schools. The nearby North Domingo Baca Multi-Generational Center has become an invaluable facility to the entire community and for all ages. The addition of the long awaited public pool will make the North Domingo Baca site a City-wide asset. This aquatic center is an exemplary project that highlights a strong partnership between the City and APS, having both entities working together to improve the community making it better for students and all families.