Making cuts to the budget may not be a pleasant process, but Coos Bay School officials see a silver lining: It may increase the public’s trust in the district when it comes to handling taxpayer money.

With an impending bond measure, demonstrating to voters that the district can limit its expenses may lead some to support the proposed $59 million bond measure to upgrade school buildings.

“Hopefully, they will recognize the school district knows what it is doing, and we will be responsible with the money from a bond measure,” said board member David Ford.

It may seem counterintuitive, but passage of a bond measure may actually relieve some of the burden on the district’s general fund. The district has proposed replacing two 50-year-old buildings and making significant repairs to  ventilation and heating systems in others. If those repairs take place, savings in heating could be realized, Ford said, though he couldn’t say how much.

Although the state provides funding to school districts for their operating budgets, it is up to the districts to maintain their buildings. The only time Coos Bay School District can use state funding on its buildings is for maintenance purposes. And due to the need to cut the budget, the district plans to cut about $60,000 of maintenance costs next year.