League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Sonoma County, CA November 4, 2008 Election
	Measure J Bond Bellevue Union School District 55% of the voters who vote on the measure must approve it Pass: 3,953 / 68.7% Yes votes ...... 1,802 / 31.3% No votes See Also: Index of all Measures

Arguments For Measure J

Every Yes vote on Measure J is a vote to renovate and modernize the older schools in the Bellevue Union Elementary School District and build the new classrooms needed to avoid overcrowding. Measure J funds will: 1. Replace old heating and ventilating systems with new, energy efficient systems. 2. Repair or replace leaking and deteriorating roofs. 3. Upgrade and improve electrical systems, increasing the ability of students and teachers to use classroom computers and technology. 4. Construct a multi-purpose room at Taylor Mountain Elementary School. 5. Build new classrooms at Meadow View and Taylor Mountain Elementary Schools to reduce overcrowding and provide students with adequate classroom space. 6. Renovate restrooms and replace old plumbing at the district's older schools, Kawana and Bellevue Elementary Schools. Measure J provides for strict accountability. The School Board adopted a very specific resolution listing the projects to be completed with Measure J funds. These funds must be independently audited each year. In addition, an Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee will monitor and review all bond expenditures. This Committee of local residents and taxpayers will make sure that all Measure J funds are spent as planned for the benefit of local students. There is a cost for Measure J, but it is reasonable. The average yearly cost to property owners in the district would be $19 per $100,000 of assessed (not market) value. Quality schools protect and enhance our property values, and support our students. We must continue to invest in our schools. Good schools make for great communities. We are proud of our local schools, and we ask you to please join us in voting Yes on Measure J. s/ Eric Lane, Parent s/ Donna M. Rinnels, Parent/Community Member s/ Mindy Simonson, Kawana PTA President s/ Clare Mackenzie, SSC and PTA Board (No arguments against Measure J were submitted)

Tax Rate Statement from Superintendent, Bellevue Union Elementary School District

An election will be held in the Bellevue Union Elementary School District (the "District") on November 4, 2008, to authorize the sale of up to $19,000,000 in bonds of the District to finance school facilities as described in the proposition. If the bonds are approved, the District expects to sell the bonds in several series over time. Principal and interest on the bonds will be payable from the proceeds of tax levies made upon the taxable property in the District. The information presented in numbered paragraphs 1-3 below is provided in compliance with Sections 9400-9404 of the Elections Code of the State of California. 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 1.9 cents per $100 ($19.00 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2009-10. 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 1.9 cents per $100 ($19.00 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2011-12. 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 1.9 cents per $100 ($19.00 per $100,000) of assessed valuation. The tax rate is expected to remain the same in each year the bonds are outstanding. The best estimate of the average annual tax rate over the life of the bonds is 1.9 cents per $100 ($19.00 per $100,000) of assessed valuation. Voters should note that the estimated tax rates are based on the ASSESSED VALUE of taxable property in the District as shown 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. The foregoing information is based upon the District's projections and estimates. Approval of the ballot measure authorizes the issuance of bonds under certain conditions, and is not approval of a specific tax rate. 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 and repayment structure of bonds sold, 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 and repayment structure of bonds sold at any given time will be determined by the District based on its 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. s/ Tony Roehrick Superintendent, Bellevue Union Elementary School District

Full Text of Measure J

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT BOND OF 2008 This Proposition may be known and referred to as the "School Improvement Bond of 2008" or as "Measure J." FINDINGS The Bellevue community has a long history of supporting its public school buildings and school programs in order to provide an outstanding program for our children. Our community supported the passage of a facility bond in 1996 that allowed the district to build Meadow View Elementary, and to partially fund the construction of Taylor Mountain Elementary. The Bellevue Union Elementary School District has used our bond resources carefully, having obtained significant funding from the State, and stretched local dollars to complete the maximum number of projects. The District has conducted a facilities needs assessment and determined that over $33 million in school facility improvements will be needed over the next twenty years. Among the identified needs are the completion of the Taylor Mountain multi-purpose room, construction of new classrooms at Meadow View and Taylor Mountain to meet future growth, and the upgrading of heating, electrical and plumbing systems at Bellevue and Kawana Elementary Schools. The District's Board of Trustees certifies that it has evaluated safety, class-size reduction, and information technology needs in developing the list of bond projects. The Board of Trustees of the Bellevue Union Elementary School District has determined the issuance of bonds, along with application for State matching grants, is the fiscally prudent mechanism to meet these identified needs. BOND AUTHORIZATION By approval of this proposition by at least 55% of the registered voters voting on the proposition, the Bellevue Union Elementary School District shall be authorized to issue and sell bonds of up to $19,000,000 in aggregate principal amount to provide financing for the specific school facilities projects listed in the Bond Project List below, subject to all of the accountability safeguards specified below. Proceeds from the sale of bonds authorized by this proposition shall be used only for the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or replacement of 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 purpose, including teacher and administrator salaries and other school operating expenses. Proceeds of the bonds may be used to pay or reimburse the District for the cost of District staff when performing work on or necessary and incidental to the bond projects. ACCOUNTABILITY SAFEGUARDS The provisions in this section are specifically included in this proposition in order that the Bellevue Union Elementary School District's voters and taxpayers may be assured that their money will be spent wisely to address specific facilities needs of the Bellevue Union Elementary School District, all in compliance with the requirements of Article XIII A, Section 1(b)(3) of the State Constitution, and the Strict Accountability in Local School Construction Bonds Act of 2000 (codified at Education Code Sections 15264 and following). Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee. The Board of Trustees shall establish an independent Citizens' Oversight Committee (pursuant to Education Code Section 15278 and following), to ensure bond proceeds are spent only for the school facilities projects listed in the Bond Project List. The committee shall be established within 60 days of the date when the results of the election appear in the minutes of the Board of Trustees. Annual Performance Audits. The Board of Trustees shall conduct an annual, independent performance audit to ensure that the bond proceeds have been expended only on the school facilities projects listed in the Bond Project List. Annual Financial Audits. The Board of Trustees 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 the Bond Project List. Special Bond Proceeds Account: Annual Report to Board. Upon approval of this proposition and the sale of any bonds approved, the Board of Trustees shall take actions necessary pursuant to Government Code Section 53410 and following 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 no later than December 31 of each year, commencing December 31, 2009, 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 into the annual budget, audit, or other appropriate routine report to the Board. FURTHER SPECIFICATIONS Specific Purposes. All of the purposes enumerated in this proposition shall be united and voted upon as one single proposition, pursuant to Education Code Section 15100, and shall constitute the specific purposes of the bonds, and proceeds of the bonds shall be spent only for such purposes, pursuant to Government Code Section 53410. Joint Use. The District may enter into agreements with other public agencies or nonprofit organizations for joint use of school facilities financed with the proceeds of the bonds in accordance with Education Code Section 17077.42 (or any successor provision). The District may seek State grant funds for eligible joint-use projects as permitted by law, and this proposition hereby specifies and acknowledges that bond funds will or may be used to fund all or a portion of the local share for any eligible joint-use projects identified in the Bond Project List or as otherwise permitted by California State regulations, as the Board of Trustees shall determine. Other Terms of the Bonds. When sold, the bonds shall bear interest at an annual rate not exceeding the statutory maximum, payable at the time or times permitted by law. The bonds may be issued and sold in several series, and no bond shall be made to mature more than 40 years from the date borne by that bond. BOND PROJECT LIST The Bond Project List below describes the specific projects the Bellevue Union Elementary School District proposes to finance with proceeds of the bonds. Listed projects will be completed as needed at a particular school site according to Board-established priorities, and the order in which such projects appear on the Bond Project List is not an indication of priority for funding or completion. The final cost of each project will be determined as plans are finalized, construction bids are awarded, and projects are completed. Certain construction funds expected from non-bond sources, including State grant funds for eligible projects, have not yet been secured. Until all project costs and funding sources are known, the Board of Trustees cannot determine the amount of bond proceeds available to be spent on each project, nor guarantee that the bonds will provide sufficient funds to allow completion of all listed projects. Completion of some projects may be subject to further government approvals by State officials and boards, to local environmental review, and to input from the public. For these reasons, inclusion of a project on the Bond Project List is not a guarantee that the project will be funded or completed. The Board of Trustees may make changes to the Bond Project List in the future consistent with the projects specified in the proposition. Unless otherwise noted, the following projects are authorized to be completed at each or any of the District's school sites. Bellevue School, Kawana School, Meadow View School, and Taylor Mountain School. · Improve fire safety and life safety systems, including alarms, smoke/fire detection systems, and sprinklers · Upgrade/install school-wide and District-wide security systems, clock and bell systems, public address, etc., including alarms, security cameras, exterior and schoolsite lighting, locks, monitoring systems, fencing, etc. · Upgrade climate control systems consisting of heating, ventilation, cooling/air conditioning, including alternative and passive technologies to conserve energy, such as energy-efficient windows, window coverings and shade control, shade canopies, etc. · Upgrade electrical systems as well as main power service and distribution, which may include active and passive solar power and heating system acquisition, installation and construction · Construct or install improvements required to comply with access requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and existing state and local building codes, including upgrade, modify, or construct restroom facilities, ramps, doors, parking, etc. · Upgrade/remodel or construct student and staff restrooms, including fixtures, lighting, partitions. · Construct, repair, replace or modify roofs or portions of roofs · Replace, repair or upgrade plumbing, piping and drainage systems, including water supply, backup generator, meters, water heating, and wastewater systems, plumbing fixtures and sinks, etc., within buildings and sites and to connect with city supply and drainage systems · Upgrade/install voice and data communications systems, including network and electrical infrastructure to accommodate technology upgrades · Repair, modify, upgrade or reconstruct structural elements of existing campus structures Refinish the exterior finishes of school buildings, including paint, stucco, wood and metal trims, framing and siding, etc. · Replace doors, door frames and door hardware, including install safety/security doors and locks · Upgrade and expand parking and vehicle access to school sites, including off-street parking areas, pickup/drop-off, ingress/egress, signage, etc. · Upgrade, repair, replace, modify or construct site improvements, paths, sidewalks and walkways, canopies, exterior shade structures, outside gathering and eating areas, benches, landscape improvements, irrigation and drainage, etc. · Renovate, improve, repair or install playgrounds, hard courts, athletic play fields, tracks and turf, including new synthetic fields, including irrigation and drainage, bleachers, lighting, fencing, etc., and field equipment and facilities (including nets, basketball standards, goals and goalposts, backstops) · Upgrade classroom and other facility interiors, including painting, floor and ceiling finishes and tiles, carpeting, windows, cabinets and casework, replace, install or construct interior walls, and equipment attached to wall surfaces (including white boards, marker boards, tack boards, television mounts, smart projectors, scoreboards, fire extinguishers, kitchen cabinets/equipment, etc.) · Construct new permanent classrooms and classroom buildings or acquire and install relocatable classrooms to accommodate enrollment growth and expanded programs · Expand/remodel school libraries · Rehabilitate, repair or replace relocatable buildings · Construct, reconstruct/remodel and expand multi-purpose buildings, for instructional and physical education and recreational uses (may be joint-use projects) · Remodel existing district office at Bellevue site for use as classrooms, etc. · Construct new district office to replace facility at Bellevue School Remodel district maintenance facility Construct or acquire and install storage facilities · Upgrade and renovate kitchens, and acquire and install food preparation equipment and fixtures · Construct or remodel existing rooms into teacher workrooms, computer labs, resource rooms, and day care facility Each project listed is assumed to include its share of costs of the election and bond issuance and other construction-related costs, such as construction management, architectural, engineering, inspection and other planning costs, legal, accounting and similar fees, independent annual financial and performance audits, a customary construction contingency, and other costs incidental to and necessary for completion of the listed projects (whether work is performed by the District or by third parties), including: · Remove, dispose of, and otherwise remediate hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead, etc., where necessary. · Address unforeseen conditions revealed by construction/modernization (including plumbing or gas line breaks, dry rot, seismic, structural, etc.). · Site preparation/restoration in connection with new construction, renovation or remodeling, or installation or removal of relocatable classrooms, including ingress and egress, demolition of existing structures, removing, replacing, or installing irrigation and drainage, utility lines (such as gas lines, water lines, electrical lines, sewer lines, and communication lines), trees and landscaping, relocating fire access roads, traffic lights and mitigation, and acquiring any necessary easements, licenses, or rights of way to the property. · Acquisition of land and other interests in real property for additional school buildings and other District facilities · Rental or construction of storage facilities and other space on an interim basis, as needed to accommodate construction materials, equipment, and personnel, and interim classrooms (including relocatables) for students and school functions or other storage for classroom materials displaced during construction. · Acquisition of any of the facilities on the Bond Project List through temporary lease or lease-purchase arrangements, or execute purchase option under a lease for any of these authorized facilities, or acquire any other facilities the District is currently leasing or financing through lease-leaseback. · Furnishing and equipping of existing and newly constructed, modernized or rehabilitated classrooms and facilities on an ongoing basis, including to replace worn, broken, or out-of-date furniture and equipment for all classrooms, athletic facilities, playgrounds and other facilities, as needed. · Replace existing or acquire new computers, technology and related equipment on an ongoing basis, as needed and as funds are available. For any project involving renovation, modernization, remodeling or rehabilitation of a building or the major portion of a building, the District may proceed with new replacement construction instead (including any necessary demolition), if the Board of Trustees determines that replacement and new construction is more practical than rehabilitation and renovation, considering the building's age, condition, expected remaining life, comparative cost, and other relevant factors. The Bond Project List shall be considered a part of this ballot proposition, and shall be reproduced in any official document required to contain the full statement of the bond proposition.