[October 30, 2025] I thought the Taxpayers of the Dubuque Community School District should be aware of the present debt load the District is carrying, as well as the potential debt if the Bond is passed.

The numbers are not going to be exact due to the fact that, as the payments are made regarding the outstanding bonds, the balance will be reducing. But these numbers should give you a good idea of where things are:

• The District has a current bond balance, with interest, of approximately $81 million.
• There is a pension liability of around $45 million.
• And other post-employment benefits liability of around $10 million.

So, as it stands today, the total debt amount is somewhere near $136 million.

 If the General Obligation Bond of $70 million passes and the School District uses Revenue Bonds from the one-cent sales tax of $51.9 million to complete the new school, the total debt being carried by the District would amount to $257.9 million.