School officials in Colorado  have been left to wonder why voters recently approved tax increases for buildings and operations in some districts, and left other districts with the “no” vote.

Bond issues fund construction and renovation of buildings, while so-called “mill levy overrides” cover operational costs, such as teacher salaries or school bus maintenance. Both involve increases in the property tax. Statewide, voters in 12 districts approved $1 billion in bonds; while $1.4 billion in bonds went down in 13 districts, according to final numbers.

Cherry Creek School District proposed raising $203.5 million dollars through a bond issue (3B) and another $18 million through a mill levy increase (3A). Voters said yes.

The district will use the bond money to upgrade infrastructure in 50 schools, renovate 18 of the district’s oldest schools and build three new elementary schools to handle the addition of more than 2,000 students in this fast-growing southeastern part of the district. The bond issue will allow the district to meet capital needs through 2012, district officials say.

The mill-levy increase would be used to hire enough teachers to maintain the district’s student-to-teacher ratio as well as expand on the tech side of education. The cost to taxpayers in the Cherry Creek district would be an extra $5 per month for those who live in an average home, according to the district.

Curiously, affluent Douglas County voters rejected tax increases, while Aurora, with a high poverty rate, approved tax hikes. Officials speculate that residents in Douglas County are highly leveraged, and being squeezed by the economic downturn. Seems poverty is relative.

Douglas school board President Kristine Turner thinks residents have a perception the schools are fine, and that they don’t need help. But she’s  afraid voters may be taking the district’s current facilities and high test scores for granted.