16,118 / 61.8% Yes votes ...... 9,961 / 38.2% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

If the bond measure is approved, pursuant to section 15264 and following of the California Education Code, the District has committed to establish an independent citizens' oversight committee.

The bonds shall bear a rate of interest not greater than 8 percent per year, payable annually or semiannually, pursuant to section 15143 of the California Education Code. The number of years over which the whole or any part of the bonds are to run shall not exceed 25 years, from the date of the bonds or the date of any series thereof, pursuant to section 15144 of the California Education Code.

The District has committed that the proceeds from the bonds will be used only for the construction, reconstruction and/or rehabilitation of school facilities including the furnishing and equipping of school facilities or acquisition or lease of real property for school facilities and construction management by district personnel.

Pursuant to section 15250 of the California Education Code, an annual ad valorem tax shall be levied upon the property within the jurisdiction of the District for the interest and redemption of all outstanding bonds of the District. The annual ad valorem tax shall not be less than sufficient to pay the interest on the bonds as it becomes due and to provide a sinking fund for payment of the principal on or before maturity and may include an allowance for an annual reserve, established for the purpose of avoiding fluctuating tax levies. Also, the annual ad valorem tax shall be sufficient to provide funds for the payment of any part of the principal and interest that is to become due before the proceeds of a tax levied at the time for making the next general tax levy may be made available for the payment of the principal and interest.

Measure C4 makes financial sense by:

• Making the District eligible to receive up to $62 million in State grants
• Improving property values in our community and homes
• Making repairs now instead of later when they will cost more

Measure C4 improves our schools by:

• Upgrading outdated plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical systems and renovating restrooms to meet current standards
• Making health and safety improvements such as ADA and hazardous material abatement
• Upgrading classrooms and libraries to provide improved access to technology
• Replacing/upgrading aging portable classrooms with new classroom construction

By law, taxpayer safeguards are now in place. Measure C4 will:

• Include guaranteed audits and establish a citizen's oversight committee to ensure proper spending
• Be used only to improve our children's schools-not to pay administrative/ teacher salaries

Invest in our community. VOTE YES ON MEASURE C4!

s/Judy A. Barry, Senior Citizen
s/Glen T. Becerra, City Council member, Education Foundation Board Member, Parent
s/Thomas J McLean, 2004 Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Board
s/Debbie Sandland, President of the Board of Education
s/Karen Schock, PTA/PTSA Council President

1. The best estimate of the tax rate which would be required to fund this bond issue during the first fiscal year after the sale of the first series of bonds, based on estimated assessed valuations available at the time of filing of this statement, is 4.198 cents per $100 ($41.98 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2004-2005.

2. The best estimate of the highest tax rate which would be required to fund this bond issue, based on estimated assessed valuations available at the time of filing this statement, is 4.198 cents per $100 ($41.98 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in each fiscal year the bonds are outstanding.

3. The best estimate of the tax rate which would be required to fund this bond issue during the first fiscal year after the sale of the last series of bonds, based on estimated assessed valuations available at the time of filing of this statement is 4.198 cents per $100 ($41.98 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2016-2017.

These estimates are based on projections derived from information obtained from official sources. The actual tax rates and the years in which they will apply may vary depending on the timing of bond sales, the amount of bonds sold at each sale, and actual increases in assessed valuations. The timing of the bond sales and the amount of bonds sold at any given time will be governed by the needs of the District. Actual assessed valuations will depend upon the amount and value of taxable property within the District as determined in the assessment and the equalization process.

Dated: November 19, 2003
s/Dr. Kathryn Scroggin, Superintendent Simi Valley Unified School District

FINDINGS The Simi Valley Unified School District (the "District"), which serves the City of Simi Valley and portions of unincorporated Ventura County, is a recognized leader in providing top quality education to Ventura County students for over 75 years. Currently, ten of the District's 28 schools have been recognized as California Distinguished Schools.

The achievements have been accrued by the District as a result of the long history of visionary leadership from the Board of Education of the District (the "Board"), as well as from staff members, parents, and members of the District Communities. During its long history, the District has benefitted from a community that supports its educational institutions by establishing high standards for academic achievement while at the same time providing the means required to meet and even to surpass those expectations.

Although maintained well, the average age of District schools is almost 40 years. Simi Elementary School, the oldest District school, has been serving students and the community since 1926.

In order to provide our local students with the same classrooms and school facilities as other California School districts, major repairs, upgrades, and classroom construction are necessary to ensure these buildings will remain functional for future generations.

The Board has prepared a facilities plan and identified significant repairs, upgrades, and classroom construction needs due to increased enrollment that are more than the District is able to fund from currently available sources or annual revenues.

The District has sought, and continues to seek, all available outside sources of funding to improve our school buildings, including local, state, and federal grants and state bond funds. The State requires that local school districts provide local funds as a condition of receipt of state matching funds. The District is eligible for approximately $62 million in State matching funds. It is necessary to seek voter approval of a bond measure in order to provide the local funding for identified school facility repairs, modernization projects, and growth needs to address student enrollment.

BOND AUTHORIZATION By approval of this proposition by at least 55 percent of the registered voters voting on the proposition, the District shall be authorized to issue and sell bonds of up to $145 million in principal at interest rates below the legal limit, to provide financing for the specific school facilities projects listed in the Bond Project List attached hereto as Exhibit A-1, subject to all the accountability requirements specified below.

BOND PROJECT LIST The Bond Project List attached to this resolution as Exhibit A-1 shall be considered a part of the ballot proposition and shall be reproduced in any official document required to contain the full statement of the bond proposition.

Approval of this Bond Measure (the "Measure") does not quarantee that the proposed project or projects in the District that are the subject of bonds under the Measure will be funded beyond the local revenues generated by the Measure. If state matching funds become available, they will be used for and applied to the Bond Project List as per Exhibit A-1. The District's proposal for the project or projects assumes the receipt of matching state funds, which could be subject to appropriation by the Legislature or approval of a statewide bond measure.

ACCOUNTABILITY REQUIREMENTS The provisions in this section are specifically included in this proposition in order that the voters and taxpayers in the District may be assured that their money will be spent wisely to address specific facilities needs of the District all in compliance with the requirements of Article XIIIA, Section 1(b)(3), of the State Constitution and the Strict Accountability Local School Construction Bonds Act of 2000 (codified at Education Code Sections 15264 and following.) Evaluation of Needs. The Board, after a year long process involving staff members, parents, students; and community members at each school site throughtout the District, has prepared an updated facilities plan in order to evaluate and address all of the facility needs of the District and determine which projects to finance from a local bond at this time. The Board hereby certifies that it has evaluated safety, class size reduction, enrollment growth, information technology needs and community input in developing the Bond Project List contained in Exhibit A-1.

INDEPENDENT CITIZENS' OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE The Board shall establish an Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee pursuant to Education Code Section 15278 and following to ensure bond proceeds are expended only on the school facilities projects listed in Exhibit A-1. The committee shall be established within 60 days of the date when the results of the election appear in the minutes of the Board.

Performance Audits. The Board shall conduct an annual, independent performance audit to ensure that the bond proceeds have been expanded only on the school facilities projects listed in Exhibit A-1.

Financial Audits. The Board shall conduct an annual, independent financial audit of the bond proceeds until all of those proceeds have been spent for the school facilities projects listed in Exhibit A-1.

Special Bond Proceeds Account: Annual Report to Board. Upon approval of this proposition and the sale of any bonds approved, the Board shall take actions necessary to establish an account in which proceeds of the sale of bonds will be deposited. As long as any proceeds of the bonds remain unexpended, the Superintendent of the District shall cause a report to be filed with the Board annually, stating (1) the amount of bond proceeds received and expended in that year, and (2) the status of any project funded or to be funded from bond proceeds. The report may relate to the calendar year, fiscal year, or other appropriate annual period as the Superintendent shall determine and may be incorporated in the annual budget, audit, or another appropriate routine report to the Board.

FURTHER SPECIFICATIONS No Administrator Salaries. Proceeds from the sale of bonds authorized by this proposition shall be used only for the construction, reconstruction and/or rehabilitation of school facilities including the furnishing and equipping of school facilities or acquisition or lease of real property for school facilities and construction management by district personnel and not for any other purpose, including teacher and administrator salaries and other school operating expenses. The proceeds of the bonds will be deposited into a Building Fund to be held by the Ventura County Treasurer, as required by the California Education Code.

EXHIBIT A-1 BOND PROJECT LIST The District intends to complete the following projects, using a combination of funding sources. It is anticipated that bond proceeds will contribute $145 million to said total cost. Other anticipated sources include state aid matching funds and other available funds. Generating said dollars from bond proceeds would qualify the District to receive up to $62 million in matching state funds.

In order to provide comparable school facilities and technology to Simi children as those in neighboring school districts, every school campus within the Simi Valley Unified School District will receive improvement from the bond funds. Bond funds will be used to make necessary repairs and upgrades to existing school campuses, as well as to construct additional facilities to address overcrowding and increased enrollment. The 32 existing facilities listed below will receive the following repair, upgrade and construction projects as necessary and appropriate to the facilities' needs. Adult School Monte Vista School Apollo Continuation School Mountain View Elementary School Arroyo Elementary School Park View Center School Atherwood Elementary School Royal High School Berylwood Elementary School Santa Susana Elementary School Big Springs Elementary School Santa Susana High School Crestview Elementary School Simi Elementary School Educational Services Center Simi Valley High School Garden Grove Elementary School Sinaloa Middle School Hillside Middle School Sycamore Elementary School Hollow Hills Elementary School Township Elementary School Justin Elementary School Transportation Offices Katherine Elementary School Valley View Middle School Knolls Elementary School Vista Elementary School Lincoln Elementary School White Oak Elementary School Madera Elementary School Wood Ranch Elementary School

Repair and Upgrade Facilities
1. Health and Safety improvements required to comply with current codes and increase safety including disabled accessibility, removing hazardous materials, automatic fire alarms and security.
2. Renovate restrooms and add additional toilets as required by State and Federal Standards.
3. Major repairs, renovations and upgrades to school sites including sewer, water, gas and drainage systems.
4. Major upgrades and renovations to building exteriors and interiors such as walls, painting, lighting, roofing, floor coverings, doors and hardware to meet current standards.
5. Update and improve building systems including air conditioning, heating and plumbing systems.
6. Improve student access to classroom computers and modern technology by upgrading electrical and technology systems and distribution, as well as, providing additional electrical outlets.

New Construction and Enhancement of Facilities
1. Replace aging portable classrooms and buildings with new construction.
2. Provide fixtures and equipment such as computers, computer stations, whiteboards, tack boards, window coverings, cafeteria tables, and maintenance equipment to the extent permitted by law.
3. New construction to upgrade and improve school support facilities such as multi-purpose rooms, libraries, lunch shelters, paved play areas and parking and replacing moveable partitions with permanent walls at elementary school.
4. Reduce overcrowding and accommodate growth by providing additional classrooms and student support facilities.
5. Modernization projects at Royal and Simi Valley High Schools and the Adult School.

Other Projects
1. Discretionary funds for schools to perform facility improvement projects that comply with the requirements of Proposition 39.
2. Modernization and expansion of Atherwood Elementary School.
3. Increase student safety by improving drop-off/pick-up areas, parking and traffic circulation.
4. Make improvements for high school athletic programs including upgrading of stadium and track at Simi Valley High School, aquatics program and weight room at Royal High School.
5. Improvements to Santa Susana High School including construction of multi-purpose auditorium, upgrading existing facilities and additional parking.
6. Upgrade science labs at existing high schools.
7. Provide weight room facilities for Royal High School.
8. Replace moveable partitions with permanent walls at elementary schools.