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El Dorado County, CA November 4, 2014 Election
Measure F
Issue Bonds to Fund Improvements to College Facilities
Lake Tahoe Community College District

Bond Measure - 55% Approval Required

Pass: 3784 / 57.80% Yes votes ...... 2763 / 42.20% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Results as of Nov 25 3:24pm, 100.0% of Precincts Reporting (24/24)
46.5% Voter Turnout (6547/14070)
Information shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments | Tax Rate Statement | Full Text

To upgrade college facilities that prepare local students for jobs and university transfer by modernizing academic and job-training classrooms, science labs, and facilities, expanding access to university courses, creating a Public Safety Training Center, modernizing technology, improving safety and energy efficiency, and improving facilities, sites and equipment, shall Lake Tahoe Community College District issue $55,000,000 in bonds, at legal rates, with independent oversight, annual audits, no money for administrators' salaries, and all funds dedicated to Lake Tahoe Community College?

Impartial Analysis from El Dorado County Counsel
Upon approval of 55% of the votes cast by voters on this measure, California law permits community college districts to issue the sale of general obligation bonds to be paid by ad valorem taxes placed on property within the district for the purpose of 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.

The Board of Trustees of the Lake Tahoe Community College District (District) proposes issuing bonds in the amount of $55 million. The bonds interest rate and maturity date will not exceed the legal maximum, with a maturity date up to 40 years. Bond proceeds would be used to upgrade college facilities that prepare local students for jobs and university transfer by modernizing academic and job training classrooms, science labs, and facilities, expanding access to university courses, creating a Public Safety Training Center, modernizing technology, improving safety and energy efficiency, facilities, sites and equipment.

Proceeds of the bonds would not be used for teacher and administrator salaries or other school operating expenses. The District would conduct performance and financial audits, and appoint an independent citizens' oversight committee to ensure bond proceeds are expended as specified.

The District's best estimate of the tax rate to be levied to fund the bond issue is $25 per $100,000 of assessed valuation during the first fiscal year after the sale of the first series of bonds and $25 per $100,000 during the first fiscal year after the sale of the last series of bonds.

The District's best estimate of the highest tax rate required to be levied to fund the bond issue is $25 per $100,000 per fiscal year of assessed valuation and the amount of tax levied may be higher than the estimate if funds due for the payment of interest and principal on the bonds exceeds the best estimate of the tax rate to be levied.

The Board of Trustees of the Lake Tahoe Community College District has ordered this election. The measure requires the District to take steps to account for the use of the proceeds from the sale of the bonds as set forth in Article XIIIA Section 1(b) (3) of the California Constitution and Education Code section 15264 et. seq. The Board of Trustees will appoint a citizens' oversight committee and conduct annual independent audits to assure that funds are spent only for the purposes included in this measure. A "yes" vote is a vote to authorize the issuance and sale of the bonds in the amount not to exceed $55 million to be secured by the levy of ad valorem taxes on property located within the District.

A "no" vote is a vote not to authorize the issuance and sale of the bonds in the amount of not to exceed $55 million to be secured by the levy of ad valorem taxes on property located within the District.

Edward L. Knapp County Counsel

 
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Arguments For Measure F Arguments Against Measure F
For 40 years Lake Tahoe Community College has been a valuable community resource, providing generations of local residents access to an affordable high quality college education to prepare for transfer to 4-year universities, train for better careers, or enrich their lives as lifelong learners.

The College's outstanding reputation has attracted constant use of campus facilities. But after 25 years in its current location, the campus has grown outdated and become costly to operate, with leaky roofs and deteriorated electrical, lighting, heating, ventilation, safety and security systems. Inadequate college classrooms, labs, and technology are now limiting instructional quality, learning, job training, and career advancement.

Measure F will authorize essential funding to modernize Lake Tahoe Community College so it can provide the high quality college classes that students now need and the job market demands.

Measure F will:

  • Modernize college classrooms, labs and student support spaces
  • Increase access to university level courses on the LTCC campus
  • Upgrade and expand college technology
  • Construct high-demand job training facilities, including a Public Safety Training Center
  • Repair or replace deteriorated roofs, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems
  • Improve energy efficiency, campus safety and security, and access for disabled students
  • Protect the natural character of the campus, including scenic views and open space

Measure F REQUIRES strict accountability. NO administrator salaries are allowed.

MANDATORY audits and Independent Citizens' Oversight ensure proper spending.

By law, ALL Measure F funds benefit our local Lake Tahoe Community College and students.

As facilities are improved, our local economy will get a needed boost. The longer we wait to make these improvements, the more expensive they will be.

Many LTCC students, faculty, alumni, business and community leaders, and citizens throughout our community URGE your support.

Help Lake Tahoe academic and job training college facilities remain strong.

Please VOTE YES on Measure F.
http://www.YesForLTCC.com

Alicia Agnew, Lake Tahoe Community College Graduate, 2014 Paul Rork, M.D., Family Practice Physican Sara Pierce, LTCC Instructor, Faculty Leader & Lifelong Resident John Rice, General Manager, Sierra at Tahoe Resort Roberta Mason, Founding LTCC Board Member, 57-year Resident

No arguments against Measure F were submitted.

Tax Rate Statement from District Board President
An election will be held in the Lake Tahoe Community College District (the "District") on November 4, 2014, to authorize the sale of up to $55,000,000 in bonds of the District to finance community college facilities as described in the proposition. If the bonds are approved, the District expects to sell the bonds in one or more 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 following information 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 2.5 cents per $100 ($25 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2014.

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 2.5 cents per $100 ($25 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2020.

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 2.5 cents per $100 ($25 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2020. 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.

The foregoing information is based upon the District's projections and estimates only. 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 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.

Roberta L Mason President of the Board of Trustees Lake Tahoe Community College District

Full Text of Measure F
BOND AUTHORIZATION
By approval of this proposition by at least 55% of the registered voters voting on the proposition, the Lake Tahoe Community College District (the "District") shall be authorized to issue and sell bonds of up to $55,000,000 in aggregate principal amount to provide financing for the specific community college facilities projects listed in the Bond Project List below, and in order to qualify to receive State matching grant funds, subject to all of the accountability safeguards specified below.

ACCOUNTABILITY SAFEGUARDS
The provisions in this section are specifically included in this proposition in order that the District's voters and taxpayers 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 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).

Evaluation of Needs. The Board of Trustees hereby certifies that it has evaluated the facilities needs of the District, and the priority of addressing each of these needs. In the course of its evaluation, the Board of Trustees took safety, class size reduction and information technology needs into consideration while developing the Bond Project List.

Limitation on Use of Bond Proceeds. The State of California does not have the legal authority to take locally approved school district bond funds for any State purposes. The Constitution allows proceeds from the sale of bonds authorized by this proposition to be used only for the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or replacement of school facilities listed in this proposition, including the furnishing and equipping of school facilities, or the acquisition or lease of real property for community college facilities, and not for any other purpose, including faculty and administrator salaries and other District operating expenses. Proceeds of the bonds may be used to pay or reimburse the District for the cost of District staff only when performing work on or necessary and incidental to the bond projects.

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 community college facilities projects listed in the Bond Project List. The committee shall be established within 60 days of the date on which the Board of Trustees enters the election results on its minutes.

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 community college 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 (which shall be separate from the District's regular annual financial audit) 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 President or the Vice President of Administrative Services of the District (or such other employee as may perform substantially similar duties) shall cause a report to be filed with the Board no later than January 31 of each year, commencing January 31, 2015, 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 such officer 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 the County of El Dorado or 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. Rate of Interest. The bonds shall bear interest at a rate per annum not exceeding the statutory maximum, payable at the time or times permitted by law.

Term of Bonds. The number of years the whole or any part of the bonds are to run shall not exceed the legal limit, though this shall not preclude bonds from being sold which mature prior to the legal limit.

BOND PROJECT LIST
The Bond Project List below describes the specific projects the Lake Tahoe Community College District proposes to finance with proceeds of the bonds. Listed projects will be completed as needed at a particular District site according to District Board of Trustees-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.

BOND PROJECTS AUTHORIZED AT ALL DISTRICT SITES
  • Modernize Academic Classrooms, Labs and Student Support Spaces. Renovate and/or upgrade academic and lab spaces throughout campus, including:
    - science and technology labs
    - instructional space for job-training programs
    - existing spaces for delivery of student support services
  • permanent classrooms, labs and support spaces and offices to replace portables.
  • Renovate Existing Space to Provide a University Center. Provide facilities for Lake Tahoe Community College students to take university courses and pursue a four-year college/university education.
  • Core Building Infrastructure Upgrades. Repair, renovate and/or replace deteriorated roofs, ceilings, floors, windows, doors, hardware, signage, building exteriors, siding and other building systems.
  • Expand Campus Technology. Upgrade and/or expand classroom and systems technology, core infrastructure, backup power supply, networking and wireless capacity and connectivity to modernize technology and/or support distance learning.
  • Upgrade Campus to Improve Student and Staff Safety and Security. Upgrade and/or expand security lighting, fire protection systems, fencing, alarm systems, video surveillance, public address systems, master key systems, access control systems, and door lock systems.
  • Construct a Regional Public Safety Training Center. Include classrooms, support spaces and job training facilities for public safety professions including but not limited to fire science, criminal justice, search and rescue, emergency responders, and wilderness education. Provide facilities for continuing education of fire, police, emergency responder and other public safety job training. The Center will have technology, equipment, and space to serve as an Incident Command Center during local emergencies, wildfires, and other natural disasters.
  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Improvements. Upgrade classrooms, buildings, grounds, and facilities to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities, and comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
  • Improve Campus Energy Efficiency. Modernize, upgrade and/or construct deteriorated energy management systems, interior and exterior lighting controls, geothermal systems, heating and ventilation (HVAC) systems, and irrigation systems with more energy efficient models/systems.
  • Upgrade Student Common Areas. Renovate, reconfigure, and/or expand common areas throughout campus to improve student learning.
  • Construct an Early Learning Center. Include space for career training and instruction in early childhood education and childcare careers as well as a permanent facility for the District's Tahoe Parents Nursery School with preschool classrooms and outdoor learning spaces.
  • Construct an Environmental Studies and Sustainability Center. Include classrooms, labs, support spaces and job-training facilities for careers in Environmental Science and Sustainability. Construct a building in accordance with District green building standards to accommodate these programs.
  • Construct a Storage Facility with Solar Energy Generation. Include secure, covered storage for District vehicles and equipment, and a rooftop solar power-generating array to offset power consumption and serve as a local solar demonstration site.
  • Construct a Multipurpose Building for Expanded Instructional and Community Use. Replace aging portable classrooms by constructing flexible space for educational programs and/or community events.
  • Campus Vehicle Circulation and Traffic Flow. Upgrade and construct campus roadways and parking, pick-up and drop off areas, ingress/egress, emergency vehicle access, emergency evacuation. Construct new parking areas.
  • Upgrade Pedestrian Corridors and Bike Paths. Upgrade, expand, and/or construct, pathways and walkways including radiant paving at high traffic areas, asphalt paving, walkway and parking lot lighting, signage, and bike paths.
  • Maintain the Outdoor Natural Character of the Campus. Provide preservation of campus environmentally sensitive areas, and upgrade and expand trails, patios, interpretive signage, amphitheater area, demonstration and instructional gardens.
  • Recreational Facility Improvements. Expand, upgrade and/or construct community use paths, cross-country ski tracks, exterior field lighting, community field bleachers, and community field enhancements.
  • Library Lease Prepayment. Prepaying a lease on the Library facilities to relieve the general fund.

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 Bond Project List contains more projects than the District currently estimates the Bonds can fund to provide flexibility should additional efficiencies be realized or should Board priorities change. The Board of Trustees may make changes to the Bond Project List in the future consistent with the projects specified in the proposition. Approval of this bond measure does not guarantee that the proposed project or projects in the Lake Tahoe Community College District that are the subject of the bonds under this measure will be funded beyond the local revenues generated by this measure. The community college 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. Each project listed below encompasses such construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or replacement of District facilities, including the furnishing and equipping of such facilities, and the acquisition or lease of real property for such facilities, as the District may deem desirable to accomplish the project.


INCIDENTAL WORK AUTHORIZED AT ALL SITES (at which Renovation, Major Repairs and/or New Construction to be Completed)

Each project listed above includes allocable costs such as election and bond issuance costs, architectural, engineering, inspection and similar planning costs, construction and bond management (whether by the District or a third-party), annual financial and performance audits, a contingency for unforeseen design and construction costs and other costs necessary or incidental to the completion of the listed projects and otherwise permitted by law, including, but not limited to:

  • Remove hazardous materials, e.g., asbestos, lead, etc., where necessary;
  • Address unforeseen conditions revealed by construction/modernization (e.g., plumbing or gas line breaks, dry-rot, seismic, structural, etc.);
  • Necessary or incidental infrastructure upgrades, including, but not limited to water, fire service, electrical, sewer, storm drain and technology improvements.
  • Complete plumbing, sewer and drain improvements including, but not limited to upgrades to water and sewage drainage, valves, back flow prevention, laterals, storm drains, water mains, sinks, and neutralization tanks.
  • Pre-site development for new facilities listed in the bond project list and pre-site development for residential living.
  • Other improvements required to comply with building codes;
  • Furnishing and equipping
    - of newly constructed classrooms and facilities
    - replace worn/broken/out of date furniture, fixtures and equipment;
  • Acquisition of any of the facilities on the Bond Project List through temporary lease, lease-lease-back, or lease-purchase arrangements, or execute a purchase option under a lease for any of these authorized facilities;
  • Demolition of existing facilities and reconstruction of facilities scheduled for modernization, if the Board of Trustees determines that such an approach would be more cost-effective in creating more enhanced and operationally efficient campuses;
  • Rental or construction of temporary classrooms and offices (including modular classrooms) as needed to house students and staff displaced during construction;
  • Necessary site preparation/restoration in connection with new construction, renovation or remodeling, or installation or removal of modular classrooms, including ingress and egress, removing, replacing, or installing irrigation, utility lines, trees and landscaping, relocating fire access roads, painting and repainting, and acquiring any necessary easements, licenses, or rights of way to the property.

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.

Education Code section 15122.5 - Measure F Approval of Measure F does not guarantee that the proposed project or projects in the Lake Tahoe Community College District that are the subject of bonds under Measure F will be funded beyond the local revenues generated by Measure F. The 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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Created: January 24, 2016 17:19 PST
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