22527 / 58.75% Yes votes ...... 15818 / 41.25% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Any such proposition for bond indebtedness must include the following accountability requirements:

A. A requirement that the proceeds from the bond sale be used only for the above purposes and not for any other purpose, including teacher and administrator salaries and other school operating expenses.

B. A list of the specific school facilities projects to be funded and certification that the school district board has evaluated safety, class size reduction and information technology needs in developing that list.

C. A requirement that the school district board conduct an annual, independent performance audit to ensure that the funds have been spent only on the specific projects listed in the proposition.

D. A requirement that the school district board conduct an annual, independent financial audit of the proceeds from the sale of the bonds until of such proceeds have been spent for the school facilities projects listed in the proposition.

This measure, if approved, would authorize the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District to authorize the sale of general obligation bonds on its behalf in a principal amount not to exceed $79,000,000 to provide financing for the specific school facilities projects listed by the Santa Maria Joint Union High School. The bonds and interest thereon would be payable from property taxes levied on taxable property in the District. These taxes would be in addition to the property taxes currently levied on taxpayers in the District.The amount of the increased taxes each year would depend upon the amount needed to pay the principal and interest on the bonds. The period for full repayment of the bonds would not exceed forty years.

s/ Gustavo E. Lavayen
Deputy County Counsel

Approval of Measure C2004 does not guarantee that the proposed project or projects in the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District that are the subject of bonds under Measure C2004 will be funded beyond the local revenues generated by Measure C2004. The school district's proposal for the project or projects may assume the receipt of matching state funds, which could be subject to appropriation by the Legislature or approval of a statewide bond measure.

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Measure C2004 Is A Solution To These Problems C2004 builds a new school to reduce overcrowding and continues to improve our existing schools to better educate our students. This measure will:

• Construct a new high school for 2,000 students
• Continue to make health and safety improvements at existing schools
• Replace portable classrooms with permanent construction throughout the District
• Improve student access to computers and modern technology at all schools
• Make the District eligible for over $30,000,000 in State grants to help pay for the new school

Voting YES will reduce student overcrowding, improve our property values, and preserve the quality of our community. Please join, Mayor Larry Lavagnino, County Superintendent Bill Cironi, the Santa Maria Economic Development Association, the Santa Maria Chamber of Commerce, Senior Citizens, Police Chief Danny Macagni, Civic Leaders, Growers and Shippers Milo and Georganne Ferini and high school staff in supporting Measure C2004.

s/ Dean Reece, Santa Maria Jt. Union High School District Board of Trustees
s/ Frank Ortiz, Fire Chief, City of Santa Maria
s/ Dan Armando Lopez, Business Owner
s/ Mary Hintz, President League of Women Voters Santa Maria Valley
s/ Victor D. Tognazzini, Agri-Business Manager

Measure C2004 Is Not The Solution

• C2004 will not eliminate overcrowding and all of the school staff certainly does not support it.

• The School Board will appoint the oversight Committee, so they will not be truly independent!

• Today there are more portables than there were then.

• The problems need to be fixed now- not later.

• Patriotic citizens recognize that the only way to help students in the long term is to resist the impulse to support irresponsible spending in the short term.

Taxpayers don't object to paying a fair price for quality schools in this area--everyone benefits from exceptional schools. However, our schools are a disgrace; we've been in crisis for years. Taxpayers approved a bond measure four years ago, and the money was wasted on poor project management, eminent domain, ridiculous court appeals, and cost overruns. Almost everything promised by that bond measure has not been delivered. We have a wasteland of portables and unfinished construction at our schools. These were the taxpayers objections, and they were right.

Now the district has violated the California Education Code by hiring an out-of-town consulting team to campaign for the new bond. This firm stands to make hundreds of thousands of taxpayers' dollars if the bond passes. Instead of determining the needs of the community, this consultant has decided to again rely on deception. Instead of delivering two schools, the bond will only build one. Over half the money from this bond will be used to pay for things that have supposedly been paid for already such as a cafeteria for SMHS, renovation, modernization, and buildings to replace portables. Even if this bond passes, another bond will be required to pay for the sacrificed high school.The community voted against waste, deception and arrogance on Measure V. Nothing has changed. Just say "NO" until the district puts students first!

s/ George W. Pierce
s/ Melvin L. Phipps

Pursuant to the 10 Year Master Plan adopted in 1999, the District must now construct an additional high school to reduce severe student overcrowding, continue to renovate older schools to keep up with advances in education and technology, and construct additional classrooms at existing schools.

A measure to build two new high schools on the March ballot was unsuccessful. Based on community feedback, the Board determined voters were unwilling to support the second high school, which would accommodate future housing development. Consequently, the Board lowered the bond amount to construct only one high school and complete modernizing and upgrading facilities at Santa Maria and Righetti High Schools. The District is aggressively pursing developer fees on new housing at the maximum amount permitted by State law to fund the construction of future schools.

Measure C2004 is subject to ALL the stringent safeguards of California State Proposition 39. An oversight committee, selected by the Santa Maria Chamber of Commerce, will ensure all funds are expended only on the list of projects printed in your sample ballot. The District has complied with all sections of the California Education Code, and the Measure has been reviewed in the following impartial analysis by County Counsel.

Our schools are a vital resource. Please join us in voting YES on Measure C2004.

s/ Cary Gray, Lt. Co. USAF Retired/Business Owner
s/ Mary E. Hintz, President LWVSMV
s/ Victor D. Tognazzini, Agri-Business Manager
s/ Dan A. Lopez, Retired Banker

1. The best estimate of the tax which would be required to be levied 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 2.3 cents per $100 ($23.00 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2005-06.

2. The best estimate of the tax rate which would be required to be levied 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 2.3 cents per $100 ($23.00 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2015-16.

3. The best estimate of the highest tax rate which would be required to be levied to fund this bond issue, based on estimated assessed valuations available at the time of filing of this statement, is 2.3 cents per $100 ($23.00 per $100,000) of assessed valuation. The tax rate is expected to remain the same in each year.

Voters should note that the estimated tax rates are based on the ASSESSED VALUE of taxable property on the County's official tax rolls, not on the property's market value. Property owners should consult their own property tax bills to determine their property's assessed value and any applicable tax exemptions.

Attention of all voters is directed to the fact that the foregoing information is based upon the District's projections and estimates only, which are not binding upon the District. The actual tax rates and the years in which they will apply may vary from those presently estimated, due to variations from these estimates in the timing of bond sales, the amount of bonds sold and market interest rates at the time of each sale, and actual assessed valuations over the term of repayment of the bonds. The dates of sale and the amount of bonds sold at any given time will be determined by the District based on the need for construction funds and other factors, including the legal limitations on bonds approved by a 55% vote. The actual interest rates at which the bonds will be sold will depend on the bond market at the time of each sale. Actual future assessed valuation will depend upon the amount and value of taxable property within the District as determined by the County Assessor in the annual assessment and the equalization process.
Dated July 8, 2004.
s/ Dr. Jeffrey Hearn, Superintendent, Santa Maria Joint Union High School District

As required by the California Constitution, the proceeds from the sale of bonds will be used only for constructing, reconstructing, upgrading or replacing school facilities, including the furnishing and equipping of school facilities, or the acquisition or lease of real property for school facilities, and not for any other purposes, including teacher and administrator salaries or other school operating expenses.

Projects The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District has more portable classrooms than any other school district in the State. Even after opening Pioneer Valley High, the District has 2,400 students in temporary portable classrooms. In order to provide comparable school facilities and to relieve current student overcrowding, existing schools within the District will receive improvements from a bond program.

The District intends to complete the following projects using bond proceeds of up to $79 million. Generating said dollars from bond proceeds would qualify the district to receive approximately $30 million in State Aid for classroom facilities and school improvements. Bond funds will be used to make necessary repairs and upgrades, as well as to construct additional facilities to address overcrowding and increased enrollment.

This measure includes a guaranteed audit and independent oversight committee to ensure money is used only for voter approved school improvements and repairs and not used for salaries, administration and overhead.

To provide adequate school facilities for all Santa Maria Joint Union High School students, the District will, in accordance with its facilities master plan:

• Make necessary health and safety improvements such as upgrading fire alarm and communication systems and making ADA (handicapped accessibility) improvements and improve access to schools
• Improve student access to computer technology throughout the District by upgrading and constructing additional computer labs, renovating electrical systems and providing additional computers
• Upgrade and modernize school libraries and replace aging portable classrooms and buildings with new construction throughout the District
• Build an additional continuation high school
• Construct new classrooms and build additional restrooms to relieve student overcrowding
• Construct an additional high school to relieve student overcrowding and improve student and campus safety at each high school
• Upgrade outdated heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems
• Improve and expand student safety at Santa Maria and Righetti High Schools by repairing and renovating aging educational buildings and facilities
• Modernize and renovate outdated buildings/facilities at Santa Maria and Righetti High Schools including walls, painting, lighting and roofs
• Construct a cafeteria/multipurpose room at Santa Maria High School because the campus currently does not have any place for students to eat
• Construct, renovate or expand student support facilities as required
• Provide other school facilities to comply with the law including the requirements of Proposition 39
• Provide or purchase other school furniture and equipment, as needed
• Address unforeseen conditions revealed by construction/modernization (e.g., plumbing or gas line breaks, dry rot, seismic, structural, etc.)
• Necessary site preparation/restoration in connection with new construction, renovation or remodeling, or installation or removal of relocatable classrooms
• Continue to renovate, modernize, upgrade and add the necessary educational facilites to all district high schools

The District's Board of Trustees has certified that it has evaluated safety, class size reduction and information technology needs in developing the foregoing list.

The District's Board of Trustees will conduct an annual, independent performance audit to ensure that the funds have been expended only on the project list set forth above.

The District's Board of Trustees will conduct an annual, independent financial audit of the proceeds from the sale of the Bonds until all of those proceeds have been expended for the school facilities projects.

Pursuant to Section 15272 of the Education Code, the District's Board of Trustees will appoint an independent citizens' oversight committee and conduct annual independent audits to assure that funds are spent only on school and classroom improvements and for no other purposes.