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Smart Voter
Los Angeles County, CA November 6, 2012 Election
Measure G
Cerritos College Job Training and College Transfer Measure
Cerritos Community College District

School Bonds - 55% Approval Required

Pass: 83,524 / 70.33% Yes votes ...... 35,234 / 29.67% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Results as of Dec 2 2:20pm, 100.00% of Precincts Reporting (237/237)
Information shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments | Tax Rate Statement |

To prepare local Cerritos College students for high-skilled jobs and 4-year universities by updating classrooms, technology, math, science and computer labs, upgrading job-training facilities, providing classrooms and labs to accommodate growing demand, replacing leaky roofs, aging and unsafe buildings, facilities/equipment, and acquiring, constructing, repairing buildings, classrooms, sites/facilities/equipment, shall Cerritos Community College District issue $350,000,000 in bonds, at legal rates, with citizen oversight, and no money for Sacramento, administrators' salaries or employee pensions?

Impartial Analysis from
John F. Krattli,
County Counsel
Approval of Measure G would authorize the Board of Trustees ("Board") of the Cerritos Community College District ("District"), to issue general obligation bonds, in an amount not to exceed $350,000,000. Funds received from the sale of the bonds shall be used only for the specific purposes set forth in the Measure, including updating math, science and computer labs; improving energy and water efficiency; constructing classrooms; improving access for persons with disabilities; expanding health care training facilities; upgrading career and vocational classrooms, labs, training centers, support facilities and equipment; providing and updating technology, data, and communication equipment; renovating and replacing technology, hardware and software systems; and replacing and upgrading electrical systems. No funds may be used for teacher and college administrator salaries, pensions and other operating expenses.

Independent performance and financial audits will be performed annually to ensure that the funds received from the sale of the bonds are expended as specified in the Measure. All bond expenditures will be monitored by an independent Citizens' Oversight Committee to ensure that funds are spent as specified in the Measure.

The bonds issued pursuant to the Education Code shall have a maturity not exceeding twenty five (25) years, and the bonds issued pursuant to the Government Code shall have a maturity not exceeding forty (40) years. The best estimate of the highest tax rate required to fund the bonds, based on the assessed valuations available at the time of filing the Tax Rate Statement, is $25.00 per $100,000 of the taxable property within the District.

This Measure requires a fifty-five percent (55%) vote for passage.

Contact FOR Measure G:
Citizens for Cerritos College, Yes on Measure G Committee
ID# 1352122
562 239-2220

Contact AGAINST Measure G:
California Taxpayers Association
1215 K Street, Suite 1250 Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 441-0490

  Official Information

Cerritos Community College District
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Arguments For Measure G Arguments Against Measure G
For nearly 60 years, Cerritos College has consistently provided outstanding opportunities for our communities' youth and students of every age to further their education, secure transfer to four-year colleges/universities, and gain critical job skills training essential for their success.

Today, more than ever, our communities' students depend on Cerritos College to provide accessible, affordable educational opportunities.

With the dramatic rise in the cost of higher education and the decline in enrollment space at California's 4-year colleges/universities, our community college provides essential services to students seeking academic and career advancement. Cerritos College offers excellent programs enabling students to compete for high-skilled, desirable jobs supporting our local economy.

Cerritos College is committed to meeting the diverse needs of all students. The college is recognized nationally for the number of degrees earned by Hispanic students. The college's Veterans Resource Center serves hundreds of service men and women with academic tutoring, job-placement and counseling services.

Measure G is critical to continue meeting existing needs and the growing demand for expanded educational opportunities for our communities.

Measure G will:

  • Improve academic facilities preparing students for transfer to four-year universities; Repair leaky roofs, replace aging unsafe buildings, upgrade outdated classrooms/equipment;
  • Update math, science, computer, technology labs;
  • Improve facilities that support training for high-skilled jobs;
  • Improve access to students with disabilities;
  • Add classrooms to meet demand.

Measure G can only be used to fund improvements for our local community college with NO money for administrators' salaries and cannot be taken away by Sacramento. All expenditures will be monitored annually by an Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee. Measure G will qualify Cerritos College for matching funds.

Measure G is supported by local educators, business and community leaders, students, parents, seniors and local taxpayers.

We urge your YES vote for Measure G for Cerritos College.

EDWARD H. BLOOMFIELD, Ph.D.
Professor of Philosophy Emeritus (retired), Cerritos College

SAUNDRA BOSFIELD, MSN, RN
Nursing Instructor
Member, Woman's Club of Artesia-Cerritos

LAURA LEE
Former Mayor and Councilmember, City of Cerritos
Local Businesswoman, Cerritos

KARLA D. LEYVA
Cerritos College/USC Graduate
Veteran
Founder and Past President, Student Veteran's Club of Cerritos College
Accountant

GORDON F. STEFENHAGEN
Former Mayor and Councilmember, City of Norwalk
Local Businessman, Norwalk

Rebuttal to Arguments For
Please Vote No on the Cerritos College Bonds at this time.

Cities in the Cerritos College District are facing from 3 to 6 tax measures this November 6th.

Can voters who are unemployed, underemployed or behind on their house payments afford to have their property taxes, sales taxes, income taxes, and utility taxes all raised on the same day?

Can you afford it at this time, especially when Cerritos College has not finished all of the building projects for the 2004 $210 Million Bond?

johnpauldrayer@gmail.com
(562) 331-5028

JOHN PAUL DRAYER
Cerritos College Area #3 Homeowner

No to the $350 million Cerritos College bonds

It is premature of the Cerritos College board to ask for a $140 Million dollar increase to the 2004 bond price tag. The projects for $210 Million bonds have not been completed nor have they passed final inspection. After they are completed and properly inspected the 1st bond operation can be independently evaluated and audited before placing a more expensive bond on the ballot.

In the age of online classes and the need to save time and money, is it wise to spend so much money on a centralized brick and mortar campus? Let's offer more classes online and at satellite locations at city parks and schools near where students live in Bellflower, Downey, South Gate, La Mirada, Lakewood, Norwalk, Cerritos, Artesia, and Hawaiian Gardens, in buildings already bought and paid for.

Construction bids should be awarded to the lowest bidder, as long as they are qualified to do the job. The bidding process needs to be open and advertised widely. Extra consideration should be given to the bidder who promises to hire more Cerritos College Area workers, to keep as many jobs local as possible!

(562) 331-5028

JOHN PAUL DRAYER
Cerritos College Area #3 Homeowner

Rebuttal to Arguments Against
Measure G will provide classrooms and labs critical to meet growing enrollment needs of our community and allow more students to access low-cost academic courses and job-training programs.

Measure G will update science, math, technology, and computer labs providing students with hands-on training they require for high-wage jobs and/or transfer to four-year universities.

Measure G will preserve Cerritos College's veterans resource center which provides tutoring and job-placement services for hundreds of service men and women.

Measure G will repair leaking roofs and upgrade aging classrooms and labs, many of which are currently in buildings more than 50 years old. Outdated infrastructure and obsolete, inefficient systems will be replaced. Technology and equipment critical for high-skilled job training will be installed.

Measure G will complete the work begun eight years ago when local voters approved Measure CC. As required by law, Measure G expenditures will be audited annually and monitored by an independent committee of local residents.

Visit http://www.cerritos.edu/bond for additional information regarding Cerritos College's Facilities Master Plan/Measure G.

Measure G can only be used to improve Cerritos College facilities, with NO money for Sacramento or administrators' salaries. Measure G will create local construction jobs and qualify Cerritos College for matching funds, thus returning local taxpayer dollars back to our community.

The rising cost of higher education means that more students rely on Cerritos College to continue their education or gain high-demand job skills. Measure G will provide local students with affordable, high-quality education and job training opportunities.

Vote YES for Measure G.

EDWARD H. BLOOMFIELD, Ph.D.
Professor of Philosophy Emeritus (retired), Cerritos College

SAUNDRA BOSFIELD, MSN, RN
Nursing Instructor
Member, Woman's Club of Artesia-Cerritos

LAURA LEE
Former Mayor and Councilmember, City of Cerritos
Local Businesswoman, Cerritos

KARLA D. LEYVA
Cerritos College/USC Graduate
Veteran
Founder and Past President, Student Veteran's Club of Cerritos College Accountant

GORDON F. STEFENHAGEN
Former Mayor and Councilmember, City of Norwalk
Local Businessman, Norwalk

Tax Rate Statement from DR. LINDA L. LACY
President/Superintenden,t Cerritos Community College District
An election will be held in Cerritos Community College District (the "District") on November 6, 2012, for the purpose of submitting to the electors of the District the question of incurring a bonded indebtedness of the District in an aggregate principal amount of $350 million. If such bonds are authorized and sold, the principal thereof and interest thereon will be payable from the proceeds of tax levies made upon the taxable property in the District. The information contained in numbered paragraphs 1 - 3 below is provided in compliance with Section 9400-9404 of the Elections Code of the State of California. The information is based upon the best estimates and proje~ions presently available from official sources, upon experience within the District, and other demonstrable factors.

Based upon the foregoing and projections of the District's assessed valuation, and assuming the entire debt service will be paid through property taxation:

1. The best estimate of the tax which would be required to be levied to fund the 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 2.50¢ per $100 ($25.00 per $100,000) of assessed valuation for the year 2013-14.

2. The best estimate from official sources of the tax rate which would be required to be levied to fund the bond issue during the first fiscal year after the last sale of the bonds and an estimate of the year in which that rate will apply, based on estimated assessed valuations available at the time of filing of this statement, is
2.50¢ per $100 ($25.00 per $100,000) of assessed valuation for the year 2022-23.

3. The best estimate of the highest tax rate which would be required to be levied to fund the bond issue and an estimate of the year in which that rate will apply, based on estimated assessed valuation available at the time of filing of this statement, is 2.50¢ per $100 ($25.00 per $100,000) of assessed valuation for the year 2022-23.

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 exceptions.

Attention of all voters is directed to the fact that the foregoing information is based upon the District's projections and estimates only, which is 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 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.

Dated: 8/2/2012


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Created: December 17, 2012 13:44 PST
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