Durango Schools Await Ballot Decision on Free Meals Program

Since the 20 23 20 24 school year, Durango School District has served free breakfast and lunch to all students as part of Colorado’s healthy School Meal for All program. The program has grown increasingly popular, but has reached a funding shortfall. The program’s continuation depends on whether voters approve two propositions. On this November ballot, you are watching the Local News Network brought to you by Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steak Burgers and Fast Sign Durango. I am Sadie Smith. In 2022, Colorado passed Proposition ff the Healthy School Meals for All program Proposition. FF initially funded the program, but demand has exceeded available revenue and the program may stop unless voters approved propositions, ll and mm. On this November statewide ballot, if the measures passed, the Healthy School Meals for All program will continue to serve all Colorado Children Breakfast and lunch. Regardless of household income. The program has become increasingly popular and demand has outpaced funding.

Participation went up almost immediately, as soon as it passed considerably, in fact, and it’s continued to this day.

Currently, Durango School serves around 1200 to 1500 breakfasts and 2,500 to 3000 lunches daily. This November’s ballot measure will determine whether the Free Meals program continues or gets scaled back. Proposition ll asks voters to allow the state to keep and spend the approximately $12 million in excess tax revenue that has already been collected for the Healthy School Meals for All program. A no vote on Proposition ll would require the state to refund the 12 million to households earning 300,000 or more while funds for the Healthy School. Meals for All program would be cut. Proposition mm would increase state income taxes for households earning more than $300,000 a year to generate an estimated 95 million annually to fully fund the Healthy School Meals for All program. IF proposition MM fails, free breakfast and lunch would only be available to students from low income households beginning January, 2026.

We’re a mountain town. The cost of living here is considerably higher than elsewhere, not only in the state, but in the country. And I think that gets overlooked quite often. The IT income guidelines for these programs is of, are federal. It’s, it’s one federal guideline for essentially most of the states excluding like Hawaii and Alaska. So cost of living in, in towns like ours is not taken into consideration with those income guidelines. So a lot of families can get overlooked for that meal benefit eligibility when in fact they’re struggling.

If both measures passed, the state would have enough funding to fully continue the Healthy School Meals for All program for K through 12 public schools. It would also allow additional funds to provide raises to cafeteria workers and for the state to support other food programs such as snap, also known as food stamps. If Proposition ll fails and MM passes, the state would refund the 12.4 million to high earning households, but would continue to generate 95 million annually through the new tax to sustain free school meals for all students. If voters approve Proposition ll, but reject Proposition M, the state would keep the 12.4 million and continue to fund the free school meals until funds run out. If both measures fail, the state would refund the 12.4 million and free school meals would be limited to students from low income households. More information on propositions ll and m can be found on the Colorado General Assembly website. For more information about this and other stories, visit Durango Local News. Thank you for watching this edition of the Local News Network. I am Sadie Smith.