League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
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Measure A School Bonds Palo Alto Unified School District 14,074 / 77.59% Yes votes ...... 4,066 / 22.41% No votes
See Also:
Index of all Measures |
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| Results as of Jun 25 1:31pm, 100.0% of Precincts Reporting (65/65) |
| Information shown below: Yes/No Meaning | Impartial Analysis | Arguments | Tax Rate Statement | Full Text | |||||
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"To provide safe and modern schools; accommodate enrollment growth; upgrade aging classrooms, libraries, computer and science labs; repair or replace roofs, plumbing, heating, ventilation and electrical systems; improve fire alarms and school security; meet current earthquake standards; provide current technology; and replace old portables with permanent classrooms, shall Palo Alto Unified School District issue $378 million in bonds at legal interest rates, with mandatory audits, independent oversight and bond tax rates estimated not to exceed the current rate?" BONDS YES BONDS NO
Upon approval of 55% of the votes cast by voters in an election, California law permits school districts to issue bonds, secured by the levy of ad valorem taxes on property located within a district, for the purpose of acquiring or constructing school facilities and real property. The bond measure must meet certain requirements, such as stating proceeds from the sale of the bonds will only be used as specified in Article XIIIA, section 1(b)(3) of the California Constitution, listing specific facilities projects to be funded, and specifying that annual audits are conducted. The Board of Education of the Palo Alto Unified School District proposes issuing bonds in the amount of $378,000,000. Proceeds will be used to undertake repair and construction projects at 19 schools and for the acquisition of land and facilities. Examples of proposed projects include construction of classroom buildings to accommodate growth; replacement of temporary classrooms; improvement or provision of security systems; upgrades to technology, climate control systems, and to buildings to bring them into compliance with codes and the Americans with Disabilities Act; modernization of libraries; renovation of gymnasiums; repairs to parking lots; removal of hazardous materials; refinish building exteriors; and repairing plumbing, piping and drainage systems. Proceeds of the bonds will not be used for teacher and administrative salaries, though the District states proceeds may be used to reimburse the District for the cost of staff when performing work necessary and incidental to the bond projects, which is a permissible use of bond funds. The proposed projects are consistent with the permissible use of proceeds from school bonds. Additionally, the District will conduct annual audits and appoint an independent citizens' oversight committee to ensure bond proceeds are expended only on the projects included in the ballot measure, meeting the requirements of Article XIIIA, section 1(b)(3). The District's best estimate of the tax required to be levied to fund the bonds during the first fiscal year after the sale of the first series of bonds is $2.87 per $100,000 of the assessed value of taxable property in the District for fiscal year 2009-2010. The District's best estimate of the tax required to fund the bonds during the first fiscal year after the sale of the last series of bonds, is $44.50 per $100,000 of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2016-2017. The District's best estimate of the highest tax required to fund this bond issue is $44.50 per $100,000 of assessed valuation. A "yes" vote is a vote to authorize the issuance and sale of the bonds in the amount of $378,000,000, 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 $378,000,000, to be secured by the levy of ad valorem taxes on property located within the District.
Ann Miller Ravel Lead Deputy County Counsel
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Official Information
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| Arguments For Measure A | Arguments Against Measure A | ||
| [The following may contain errors from retyping. The official version may be obtained from the Registrar of Voters.]
Measure A will upgrade aging public school facilities to support quality instruction and student achievement. Measure A will not increase tax rates. It simply extends the current rate. In 1995 over 80% of voters approved bonds to fund school renovations, enabling PAUSD to receive over $25 million in state matching funds. The bond paid to fix leaking roofs, build new libraries, add classrooms and more, but could not address all needed upgrades. Measure A leverages our local property tax base to issue new bonds to fund additional renovations without increasing existing tax rates. Measure A will also make PAUSD eligible to apply for millions more in state matching funds. Most PAUSD schools are at least 50 years old. Many need repairs and upgrades. Since the last bond measure, student enrollment has grown by over 25%. Additional classrooms are needed to reduce overcrowding and accommodate small class sizes. Measure A will fund important improvements, including:
We are fortunate to live in one of the best school districts in the State. Measure A will ensure that our students have safe and modern facilities with the technology needed to support student success. Great schools enhance our community and protect our property values. Parents, civic leaders, business leaders, environmental leaders and seniors all support Measure A. Improve Palo Alto schools without raising tax rates. Please vote YES on A.
/s/ Marge Collins
/s/ Doris B. Petersen
/s/ Walter Hays
/s/ Becky Morgan
/s/ Dana Tom
In the early 1990s, the lack of good management of PAUSD school sites became obvious to all. It revealed the poor condition of PAUSD schools. Taxpayers rewarded this mismanagement with about $300M (Measure B's principal and interest) to fix the schools. The PAUSD then mismanaged the refurbishment projects, resulting in delays and law suits. The PAUSD now asks for another $400M ($800M with interest) - almost 3 times what they did 13 years ago. Why? A walk around the school sites shows the buildings all painted and the grounds well-maintained; the schools appear to be in excellent condition. Projection of the current budget for the next 40 years suggests that possibly $30 billion could be available to the PAUSD for operations, building maintenance and expansion. The District has made no mention of their ever-increasing revenue stream, or how this money will be spent. Between 1995's Measure B and Measure A, the PAUSD will have taken upwards of $600M from Palo Altans as bond interest--leaving many Palo Altans strapped to pay additional taxes to rebuild aging City infrastructure (estimated at $455M). Contrary to the claim that all of the Bond money stays local-every dollar of bond interest paid will likely leave Palo Alto. Also, because of Prop.13-taxes on property paying for this bond increase yearly. The PAUSD is NOT claiming a facilities crisis. Voting NO will motivate the PAUSD to better manage its ever-growing revenues and live within its means.
/s/ Wayne E. Martin
/s/ Allen M. Rice
/s/ Michael Goldeen
/s/ Brian Holtz | [The following may contain errors from retyping. The official version may be obtained from the Registrar of Voters.]
Once it took a 2/3 (67%) supermajority to pass school bonds. Prop 39 in 2000 changed that to a lower threshold of just 55%. But in fairness to the taxpayers, it also requires school districts to SPECIFICALLY describe how they plan to spend the bond money, and to create an INDEPENDENT Bond Oversight Committee to ensure that the plan is followed. Measure A consists of the short summary that appears on your sample ballot and also includes a much longer "Full Text". The 10-page Full Text, covering 19 schools, is where the District makes its actual legal commitments regarding what it will do with the $378M in Bond money. Before voting, you should read it. We have, and we believe THE PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT IS NOT FULFILLING ITS PART OF THE PROP 39 BARGAIN! The Full Text:
Measure A is not a specific Plan; it is a hazy, nice-to-have Wish List, to be filled in as the District goes along. VOTE NO.
/s/ Allen M. Rice
/s/ Wayne E. Martin
The Palo Alto Unified School District needs improved and expanded facilities. The opposition fails to offer any plan to solve our facilities needs.
"http://www.strongpausd.org" http://www.strongpausd.org
/s/ Gary Fazzino
/s/ Linda Strain
/s/ Leonard Ely
/s/ Dan Dykwel
/s/ John Hennessy |
| Tax Rate Statement from the Superintendent of Schools |
| [The following may contain errors from retyping. The official version may be obtained from the Registrar of Voters.]
An election will be held in the Palo Alto Unified School District (the "District") on June 3, 2008, to authorize the sale of up to $378,000,000 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 three 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 rate 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 0.287 cents per $100 ($2.87 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 4.45 cents per $100 ($44.50 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2016-17. 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 4.45 cents per $100 ($44.50 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2016-17. The District intends to structure the proposed bonds so that the estimated combined tax rate needed to repay all of the District's bonds will not increase as a result of the issuance of the proposed bonds. 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. Dated: February 28, 2008
/s/ Kevin A. Skelly |
| Full Text of Measure A |
| [The following may contain errors from retyping. The official version may be obtained from the Registrar of Voters.]
This Proposition may be known and referred to as the "Palo Alto School Modernization and Expansion Bond of 2008" or as "Measure A".
By approval of this proposition by at least 55% of the registered voters voting on the proposition, the Palo Alto Unified School District shall be authorized to issue and sell bonds of up to $378,000,000 in aggregate principal amount to provide financing for the specific school facilities projects listed in the Bond Project List attached hereto as Exhibit A, 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.
The provisions in this section are specifically included in this proposition in order that the Palo Alto Unified School District's voters and taxpayers may be assured that their money will be spent wisely to address specific facilities needs of the Palo Alto Unified 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). Evaluation of Needs. The Board of Education has prepared an updated facilities plan in order to evaluate and address all of the facilities needs of the Palo Alto Unified School District at each campus and facility, and to determine which projects to finance from a local bond at this time. The Board of Education hereby certifies that it has evaluated safety, class size reduction and information technology needs in developing the Bond Project List. Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee. The Board of Education 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 Education. Annual Performance Audits. The Board of Education 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 Education 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 Education 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, 2008, 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.
The Bond Project List attached to this resolution as Exhibit A describes the specific projects the Palo Alto Unified 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. 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 Education 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 Education may make changes to the Bond Project List in the future consistent with the projects specified in the proposition. Each project 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). 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.
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 City of Palo Alto or other 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 that bond funds are to be used to fund all or a portion of the local share for such eligible joint-use projects, as the Board of Education shall determine. Sustainability Standards. The Board of Education has adopted Guidelines for Sustainable Construction, requiring design professionals and staff to follow California's Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) standards and best practices for all future District building projects. These standards incorporate the latest green building practices to reduce operating costs, reduce environmental impact, and increase building life, while creating schools that are healthy, comfortable, well lit and well equipped. The District intends to incorporate sustainable site design, water conservation, energy efficiency, improving indoor air quality and incorporating sustainable materials and products into the bond projects, emphasizing long term life cycle cost analysis in its design process. It is intended that planned maintenance work will also incorporate improvements to existing facilities with respect to sustainability and energy conservation, whenever feasible. 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.
The District is required by law to make its best estimates of the ad valorem property tax rate required to be levied on all taxable property in the District to pay debt service on the proposed bonds. Based on historical assessed value data and certain assumptions about future growth in assessed values and how, when and at what cost the bonds will be issued, the District estimates that the tax rate necessary to pay debt service on the proposed bonds, when combined with the tax rate necessary to pay debt service on presently outstanding bonds in each year, will not exceed the rate levied in the current (2007-08) fiscal year to pay debt service on the presently outstanding bonds alone. The District's tax rate estimates appear in the Tax Rate Statement that the Registrar is required to provide in the Voter Information Pamphlet mailed to voters in connection with the election.
PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT [Note: The order in which projects are listed is not an indication of priority for funding or completion. Not all listed projects will be completed at every site.] I. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROJECTS Addison, Barron Park, Briones, Duveneck, El Carmelo, Escondido, Fairmeadow, Garland, Greendell, Hays, Hoover, Nixon, Ohlone, Palo Verde
David Starr Jordan, Jane Lathrop Stanford, Terman
For purposes of the Bond Project List, renovation and modernization projects are intended to restore the building systems and infrastructure, weather protections, finishes, and technology, or reallocate and reorganize space, to a condition that will provide a sustainable, functional educational and administrative environment for future years, comparable to new construction. Renovation projects may include, but are not limited to nor necessarily encompass, all of the following, depending upon the age, condition and needs of each particular school facility:
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Created: July 31, 2008 13:35 PDT
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