Aurora’s $35 million tax request for schools was approved with considerable support Tuesday night.

Results posted at 9 p.m. showed support for Measure 5A holding steady with almost 57 percent of voters in favor and 43 percent against it.

Colorado Votes 2018

John Britz, a consultant working on the campaign, said he was cautiously optimistic.

“Those numbers usually hold,” Britz said. “The fact that the district has been moving forward both academically and building a strong relationship with its community, these results are indicative of those improvements.”

Measure 5A, the $35 million mill levy override, an ongoing property tax request, would pay for an increase to teacher salaries, as well as provide seat belts for school buses, more mental health professionals and training for staff about mental health needs, and after-school programming for all elementary schools.

District officials said they would go through a bidding process to determine “the structure of the after-school programming.” Currently, Aurora provides no districtwide programming.

The most recent contract between the district and the teachers union commits the district to set aside $10 million of any revenue from a successful measure to fund increased teacher salaries, including a 3 percent raise starting in January.

If Aurora’s measure is approved, homeowners will pay an additional $98.64 per year for every $100,000 of a home’s value.

In 2016, Aurora voters approved a different tax request, Ballot Issue 3C, a bond that funded construction of new buildings and other school improvements for the district. Construction on those projects is ongoing.

A consultant hired to do polling and to interview community members told the school board earlier this fall that Aurora voters, like those across the country, are generally supportive of public education this year.

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.