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Riverside, San Bernardino County, CA November 4, 2014 Election
Measure P
Affordable Education/Job Training
Palo Verde Community College District

Bond Measure - 55% Approval Required

Pass: 2,047 / 59.6% Yes votes ...... 1,387 / 40.4% No votes
   1,516 (62.90%) Yes / 894 (37.10%) No in Riverside County
   531 (51.86%) Yes / 493 (48.14%) No in San Bernardino County

See Also: Index of all Measures

Results as of November 24 3:34pm, 100.0% of Precincts Reporting (34/34)
  Includes 13/13 Precincts in Riverside County as of November 21 7:51am
  Includes 21/21 Precincts in San Bernardino County as of November 24 3:34pm
Information shown below: Fiscal Impact | Impartial Analysis | Arguments | Tax Rate Statement |

To upgrade classrooms, prepare students for four-year universities/high-skilled good paying jobs, improve facilities for career technical education, support veterans, nursing, agriculture programs, shall Palo Verde Community College District provide affordable local education, reduce campus construction debt to save money, repair, upgrade facilities/acquire equipment by issuing $12,500,000 in bonds at legal rates, requiring citizens' oversight, annual audits, no funds taken by the State and all funds used locally?

Fiscal Impact:
FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY This bond measure has strict accountability requirements including (a) an independent Citizens' Oversight Committee with representation from throughout our region; (b) annual financial audits to make sure money is being spent as promised; (c) no money from this measure will go towards salaries or pensions, and (D) ALL MONEY WILL STAY LOCAL AND CANNOT BE TAKEN BY THE STATE.

1. NO ADMINISTRATOR SALARIES. Proceeds from the sale of the bonds authorized by this proposition shall be used only for the acquisition, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or replacement of school facilities, including the furnishing and equipping of school facilities, and not for any other purpose, including faculty and college administrator salaries, pensions and other operating expenses.
2. FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY. THE EXPENDITURE OF BOND MONEY ON THESE PROJECTS IS SUBJECT TO STRINGENT FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY REQUIREMENTS. BY LAW, PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL AUDITS WILL BE PERFORMED ANNUALLY, AND ALL BOND EXPENDITURES WILL BE MONITORED BY AN INDEPENDENT CITIZENS' OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO ENSURE THAT FUNDS ARE SPENT AS PROMISED AND SPECIFIED. THE CITIZENS' OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MUST INCLUDE, AMONG OTHERS, REPRESENTATION OF A BONA FIDE TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION, A BUSINESS ORGANIZATION AND A SENIOR CITIZENS ORGANIZATION. NO DISTRICT EMPLOYEES OR VENDORS ARE ALLOWED TO SERVE ON THE CITIZENS' OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.

....

The listed projects will be completed as needed. Each project is assumed to include its share of furniture, equipment, architectural, engineering, and similar planning costs, program/project management, staff training expenses and a customary contingency. In addition to the listed projects stated above, authorized projects also include the acquisition of a variety of instructional, maintenance and operational equipment, including the reduction or retirement of outstanding lease obligations and interim funding incurred to advance fund projects from payment of the costs of preparation of all facility planning, facility studies, assessment reviews, facility master plan preparation and updates, environmental studies (including environmental investigation, remediation and monitoring), design and construction documentation, and temporary housing of dislocated college activities caused by construction projects. In addition to the projects listed above, repair, upgrade of facilities for energy efficiencies; installation of wiring and electrical systems to safely accommodate computers, technology and other electrical devices and needs; support facilities/programs in welding, construction, automotive technology, nursing, culinary arts and agriculture. The project list also includes the refinancing of outstanding lease obligations. The upgrading of technology infrastructure includes, but is not limited to, LCD projectors, portable interface devices, servers, switches, routers, modules, sound projection systems, information systems, printers, digital white boards, upgrade voice- over-IP, communication systems, audio/visual and telecommunications systems, call manager and network security/firewall, Internet connectivity, computers, wireless systems, technology infrastructure, and other miscellaneous equipment.

The allocation of bond proceeds will be affected by the District's receipt of State matching funds and the final costs of each project. In the absence of State matching funds, which the District will aggressively pursue to reduce the District's share of the costs of the projects, the District will not be able to complete some of the projects listed above. The budget for each project is an estimate and may be affected by factors beyond the District's control. The final cost of each project will be determined as plans and construction documents are finalized, construction bids are received, construction contracts are awarded and projects are completed. Based on the final costs of each project, certain of the projects described above may be delayed or may not be completed. Demolition of existing facilities and reconstruction of facilities scheduled for repair and upgrade may occur, if the Board determines that such an approach would be more cost-effective in creating more enhanced and operationally efficient campuses. Necessary site preparation/restoration may occur in connection with new construction, renovation or remodeling, or installation or removal of relocatable classrooms, including ingress and egress, removing, replacing, or installing irrigation, utility lines, trees and landscaping, relocating fire access roads, and acquiring any necessary easements, licenses, or rights of way to the property. Proceeds or 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 bond projects. Bond proceeds shall only be expended for the specific purposes identified herein. The District shall create an account into which proceeds of the bonds shall be deposited and comply with the reporting requirements of Government Code § 53410.

Impartial Analysis from Deputy County Counsel
The Board of Trustees ("Board") of the Palo Verde Community College District ("District") by adopting Resolution No. 14-10 D 21 ("Resolution"), elected to call an election pursuant to Section 18 of Article XVI and Section 1 of Article XIII A of the California Constitution and Section 15100 and 15624 et seq. of the California Education Code to obtain authorization to issue and sell general obligation Bonds ("Bonds") in the aggregate amount principal amount of twelve million five hundred thousand dollars ($12,500,000).

This Measure was placed on the ballot by the Board of the above- identified District.

The Bonds would be used by the District to reduce campus construction debt, repair and upgrade campus facilities for career technical education, upgrade classrooms, facilities and acquire equipment, and support veterans, nursing and agricultural programs. The Bonds would not be used to fund the salaries, pensions or benefits of any board members, administrator, and/or teachers or for other school operating expenses.

If Measure "P" is approved, the Board of the District will appoint a citizens' oversight committee and conduct annual independent audits to assure that bond funds are spent only on 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 for no other purposes.

An ad valorem tax would be levied and collected on property within the boundaries of the District to pay the principal and interest on the Bonds.

The Resolution provides that the maximum interest rate on the Bonds will not exceed the maximum interest rate permitted by the applicable laws of the State and the maximum term of the Bonds, or any series thereof, will not exceed 40 years.

Approval of Measure "P" does not guarantee that the proposed project or projects in the Palo Verde Community College District that are the subject of the Bonds under Measure "P" will be funded beyond the local revenues generated by Measure "P". 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.

For this Measure to be approved fifty-five percent (55%) of qualified voters who vote on the Measure must vote yes.

A "YES" vote on Measure "P" is a vote to allow the District to sell the Bonds and levy the necessary taxes to pay for the Bonds.

A "NO" vote on Measure "P" is a vote against allowing the District to sell the Bonds and levy the necessary taxes to pay for the Bonds.

By: Ronak N. Patel, Deputy County Counsel

 
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Arguments For Measure P Arguments Against Measure P
Vote Yes on Measure "P" - Support Palo Verde College.

Palo Verde College has served the Blythe and Needles communities for over 60 years and has never been more important to our area. Students have turned to Palo Verde College for a high quality, affordable education that prepares them for good paying jobs and the opportunity to transfer to 4-year colleges and universities.

Measure "P" will:

  • Upgrade classrooms, technology, and labs to better support programs that help OUR local students prepare for high demand jobs and university transfer.
  • Expand access to health career courses to train OUR local healthcare professionals.
  • Expand veteran services to ensure OUR local returning veterans have access to the services they need to complete their education and enter the workforce.

Our community college students represent the backbone of our local workforce. Measure "P" will protect and expand needed courses and serve to maintain high quality training programs.

All Measure "P" funds are legally required to be spent to improve OUR local community college. By law, the State cannot take these funds away nor can any money be used for administrator salaries. An independent citizens oversight committee and mandatory annual audits will ensure funds are spent as voters approved.

"Palo Verde College is a critical part of our community. It trains our healthcare professionals that serve our aging population and provides affordable higher education and skilled workers that fuel our economy" (Adolfo M. Paglinawan, M.D., Blythe, California).

"I aggressively endorse the bond issue for Palo Verde College to increase programs and services in our community" (Edward T. Paget, M.D., Mayor of Needles, California).

Join your neighbors, seniors, veterans, civic and business leaders. Vote Yes on Measure "P" to ensure that our local community college facilities, technology and programs remain strong.

By:
Susan L. Fisher, Fisher Ranch
John M. Ulmer, Ulmer Farms
George L. Amerman, PVUSD Educator (Retired)
Bing Lum, Colorado River Medical Center
Ellen Margot McKee, NUSD Educator (Retired)

(No arguments against were submitted)

Tax Rate Statement
An election will be held in the Palo Verde Community District (the "District") on November 4, 2014, to authorize the sale of up to $12,500,000 in bonds of the District to finance projects as described in the proposition. If the bonds are approved, the District expects to issue the Bonds in one or multiple 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 through 9404 of the California Elections Code.

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 $0.02500 per $100 ($25.00 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2015-16.

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 $0.02500 per $100 ($25.00 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 $0.02500 per $100 ($25.00 per $100,000) of assessed valuation, which is projected to be the same in every fiscal year that the bonds remain outstanding. Voters should note that 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, which could be more or less than the assessed value. In addition, taxpayers eligible for a property tax exemption, such as the homeowner's exemption, will be taxed at a lower effective tax rate than described above. Certain taxpayers may also be eligible to postpone payment of taxes. Property owners should consult their own property tax bills and tax advisors 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 need for construction funds and other factors. 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.


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Created: July 23, 2015 14:57 PDT
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