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San Joaquin County, CA June 3, 2014 Election
Measure B
Bonds
Tracy Unified School District Facilities Improvement District 3-2008

Bond - 55% Approval Required

Pass: 4570 / 65.03% Yes votes ...... 2458 / 34.97% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Results as of Jun 20 11:07am, 100.0% of Precincts Reporting (55/55)
24.2% Voter Turnout (7311/
Information shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments | Tax Rate Statement | Full Text

To continue the renovation and modernization of Tracy schools by upgrading older classrooms, libraries and computer labs, replacing leaking and deteriorating roofs, updating heating, plumbing and electrical systems and improving school safety and security, shall Tracy Unified School District be authorized to issue $82,000,000 in bonds for School Facilities Improvement District No. 3, at legal interest rates, with all expenditures monitored by an Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee and no funds spent on administrators?

Impartial Analysis from San Joaquin County Counsel
Approval of Measure B would allow School Facilities Improvement District No. 3 of the Tracy Joint Unified School District (the "District") to incur bonded indebtedness up to a maximum amount of eighty-two million dollars and no cents ($82,000,000). The issuance and sale of such general obligation bonds would be for repairing, renovating, modernizing and reconstructing school facilities within the area of the School Facilities Improvement District, inclusive of upgrading classrooms, repairing, replacing or upgrading aging roofs, electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, and improving student access to computers. Bond proceeds could also be used to qualify for State of California matching funds.
No funds derived from bond sales could be used for District administrators' salaries or for any purpose or project other than those expressly stated in the measure.
To assure that funds derived from bond sales authorized by Measure B are spent only for the purposes expressly stated in Measure B, and for no other purposes, Measure B would require the District to: (1) appoint an independent citizens' oversight committee; and (2) conduct annual independent performance and financial audits.
If Measure B is approved, and bonds are authorized and sold, the principle thereof and interest thereon shall be payable from the proceeds of tax levies made upon the taxable property in the District. If Measure B is approved, the tax rate necessary for payment of principal and interest on any bonds sold will be largely dictated by the timing of the bond sales, the amount sold at a given sale, market interest rates at the time of each sale (although in no event greater than the maximum bond net interest rate allowed by law), as well as actual assessed valuation of taxable property in the District over the term of repayment. A state of the tax rate data required by Elections Code Section 9401 will be provided to all registered voters with the sample ballot for the bond election.
Approval of Measure B does not guarantee that the projects proposed by the District to be funded from the proceeds of bonds authorized and sold will be funded beyond the local revenues generated by the bond sales authorized by Measure B. The District's proposal for such projects assumes the receipt of matching State of California funds that could be subject to appropriation by the State Legislature or to approval by statewide bond measure.
Passage of Measure B requires approval by fifty-five percent (55%) of voters voting thereon.

 
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Arguments For Measure B
A Yes vote on Measure B will provide the Tracy School District with the reliable source of local funds to continue the renovation and modernization of the older schools in Tracy.

Measure B provides funds to renovate and upgrade classrooms, libraries and computer labs. Funds will replace aging roofs, upgrade electrical systems, replace old heating, cooling and ventilation systems with energy-efficient systems and increase the ability of students and teachers to use classroom computers and technology.

There are no other funds available to complete these projects. All of the funds will be monitored by a Citizens' Oversight Committee. The committee must include a representative of a taxpayers' organization, a senior citizen, a local business person and an active parent. No employee, vendor, contractor or consultant of the District may serve on the committee.

In addition, it is required that the district conduct annual, independent performance audits to ensure that bond proceeds are only spent on specific local school facility projects. By law, no funds can be spent on administrator or teacher salaries.

Investing in our schools is the best way to protect and preserve our property values, spur economic development and create local jobs. We owe this and future generations of Tracy students the best schools we can provide.

The District has done an outstanding job managing past school bonds. Tracy High School and many other schools have been transformed and the District has received an additional $54.5 million in matching funds maximizing our local dollars.

We must provide our schools with a reliable, local source of funds to renovate and modernize local Tracy schools. Quality school buildings and classrooms protect and enhance our property values and support our students. Good schools define great communities.

Please Vote Yes on Measure B.

Submitted by: Bill Swenson: Former teacher, administrator, and board member, Tracy Unified School District

Donna M. Boyd: Longtime teacher, Tracy Unified School District

Steve Abercrombie: Tracy Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year, 2014

J.C. Kimball: Retired physician

Ted Guzman: Tracy United Way Community Council Tracy Unified School District/School Board Member

(No arguments against Measure B were submitted)

Tax Rate Statement
An election will be held within the boundaries of School Facilities Improvement District No. 3 of the Tracy Unified School District(the "School Facilities Improvement District")m on June 3, 2014 to authorize the sale of u[ to $82,000,000 in bonds of the School Facilities Improvement District to finance facilities as described in the proposition. If the bonds are approved, the Tracy Unified School District (the "School District") expects to sell the bonds in multiple series. principal and interest on the bonds will be payable from the proceeds of tax levies made upon the taxable property located only within the School Facilities Improvement District. The following information is provided in compliance with Sections 9400-9404 of the California Elections Code.

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
5.0 cents per $100 ($50 per $100,000) of assessed value
in fiscal year 2014-15.

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
5.0 cents per $100 ($50 per $100,000) of assessed
valuation in fiscal year 2018-19

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 5.0 cents per $100
($50 per $100,000) assessed valuation in fiscal year
2018-19.

Voters should note that the estimated tax rate is based on the ASSESSED VALUE of taxable property on the County of San Joaquin'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.

Attention of all voters is directed to the fact that the foregoing information is based upon the School District's projections and estimates only, which are not binding upon the School 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 among of bonds sold and market interest rates at the time of each sale, and actual assessed valuations over the term of the payment of the bonds. The dates of sale and the amount of bonds sold at any given time will be determined by the School 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 School Facilities Improvement District as determined by the County Assessor in the annual assessment and the equalization process.

Full Text of Measure B
INTRODUCTION To continue the renovation and modernization of Tracy schools by upgrading older classrooms, libraries and computer labs, replacing leaking and deteriorating roofs, updating heating, plumbing and electrical systems and improving school safety and security, shall Tracy Unified School District be authorized to issue $82,000,000 in bonds for School Facilities Improvement District No. 3, at legal interest rates, with all expenditures monitored by an Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee and no funds spend on administrators?

BOND AUTHORIZATION By approval of this measure by at least 55 percent of the registered voters voting on the measure, Tracy Unified School District will be authorized to issue and sell bonds of up to $82 million in aggregate principal amount secured by property taxes to be levied in School Facilities Improvement District No. 3 at interest rates below the legal limit and to provide financing for the specific school facilities projects listed in the Bond Project List described below, subject to all the accountability requirements specified below.

ACCOUNTABILITY REQUIREMENTS The following information is included in this ballot measure as required pursuant to Article XIIIA, 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.).

Use of Bond Proceeds. Proceeds from the sale of bonds authorized by this measure shall be used only for the acquisition, construction, reconstruction and/or rehabilitation of school facilities, including the furnishing and equipping of school facilities, and not for any other purpose, including teacher and administrator salaries and other school operating expenses.

Identification of Needs. The School Board has identified detailed facilities needs of School Facilities Improvement District No. 3 and has determined which projects to finance from a local bond at this time as described in the Bond Project List shown below. The School Board hereby certifies that it has evaluated safety, class size reduction, enrollment growth, and information technology needs in developing the Bond Project List.

Performance Audits. The School Board 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 below.

Financial Audits. The School Board 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 below.

Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee. The School Board shall establish an Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee, under Education Code Sections 15278 and following, to ensure bond proceeds are expended only on the school facilities projects listed below. The committee will be established within 60 days of the date when the results of the election appear in the minutes of the School Board.

Government Code Accountability Requirements. As required by Section 53410 of the Government Code: (1)the specific purpose of the bonds is set forth in this Full Text of the Measure, (2) the proceeds from the sale of the bonds will be used only for the purposes specified in this Measure, and not for any other purpose, (3) the proceeds of the bonds, when and if issued, will be deposited into a building fund to be held by the San Joaquin County Treasurer, as required by the California Education Code, and (4) the Superintendent of the District shall cause an annual report to be filed with the Governing Board of the District, which report shall contain pertinent information regarding the amount of funds collected and expended, as well as the status of the projects listed in this Measure, as required by Sections 53410 and 53411 of the Government Code.

BOND PROJECT LIST The Bond Project List shown below is a part of the ballot measure and must be reproduced in any official document required to contain the full statement of the bond measure.

The Tracy Unified School District will use bond funds to address the most critical facility needs of the schools in School Facility Improvement District No. 3. Projects will include providing up-to-date classrooms and facilities, replacing old underground water sewer and gas lines, and replacing old and inefficient electrical, lighting, heating, plumbing and ventilation systems where needed. In addition, all schools need to improve student access to computers and instructional technology as well as ongoing funding for the repair and renovations to keep the schools safe and secure.

Bond funds will be used in combination with any other funds received by the District for such purpose. The District will use bond funds for the following School Facility Improvement No. 3 projects. All district schools in School Facility Improvement District No. 3 will be modernized to approach the same standards.

The District schools and facilities, all located in Tracy, include:

Bohn Elementary School, 350 E. Mt. Diablo Avenue, Central Elementary School, 1370 Parker Avenue, Clover School, 51 E. Beverly Place, Duncan-Russell Continuation High School, 164 W. Grant Line
Road, Freiler School, 2421 W. Lowell Avenue, Hirsch Elementary School, 1280 Dove Drive, Institute for Global Commerce & Government, 1904 N. Corral
Hollow Road, Jacobson Elementary School, 1750 W. Kavanagh Avenue, Kelly School, 535 Mabel Josephine Drive, Kimball High School, 3200 Jaguar Run, McKinley Elementary School, 800 W. Carlton Way, Monte Vista Middle School, 751 W. Lowell Avenue, North School, 2820 Holly Drive, Poet-Christian School, 1701 S. Central Avenue, South/West Park Elementary School, 501 Mt. Oso Road, Stein High School, 650 W. 10th Street, S.T.E.P.S., 650 W. 10th Street, Tracy Adult School, 1895 W. Lowell Avenue, Villalovoz Elementary School, 1550 Cypress Drive, West High School, 1775 W. Lowell Avenue, Williams Middle School, 1600 Tennis Lane, and Willow Community Day School, 164 W. Grant Line Road.

School Bond Renovation and Modernization Projects include:

  • Renovating classrooms to create comparable classrooms throughout the District.
  • Replacing inefficient energy systems, including new windows, lighting.
  • Replacing old underground utilities including gas, water and sewer lines.
  • Fixing or replacing roofs.
  • Installing solar panels to reduce energy costs.
  • Improving seismic safety.
  • Replacing old heating, ventilation, electrical and plumbing systems.
  • Improving student access to computers and technology.
  • Updating and improving school safety and security.
  • Making necessary repairs and renovations at all district sites.
  • Building new computer labs and/or update existing labs.
  • Building new libraries and/or update existing libraries.
  • Removing hazardous materials, such as asbestos, lead, etc., where necessary.
  • Addressing unforeseen conditions revealed by construction /modernization (such as plumbing or gas line breaks, dry rot, seismic, structural, etc.).
  • Painting the interior and exterior of buildings.
  • Repairing and replacing damaged and uneven paving and concrete.
  • Providing classroom furniture and equipment as needed.
  • Renovating playgrounds and adding play structures to improve student safety.
  • Upgrading utilities and other building systems to improve energy efficiency.
  • Replacing portables with permanent classrooms.

Other School District Projects

  • Improvements required to comply with existing building codes, including the Field Act, and access requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
  • Necessary site preparation/restoration in connection with new construction, renovation or remodeling, or installation or removal of re-locatable classrooms, including removing, replacing, or installing irrigation, utility lines (such as gas lines, water lines, electrical lines, sewer lines, and communication lines) trees and landscaping.
  • 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 re-locatable classrooms) for students and school functions or other storage for classroom materials displaced during construction.
  • Al work necessary and incidental to specific projects described above, including demolition of existing structures.

The District will pursue additional State Bond matching funds based on eligibility and availability. The District will also pursue all available local joint-use funds, developer fees, or federal funds available for any high school construction and improvements. The order in which school facilities projects are listed does not suggest an order of priority and the District is unable to anticipate all unforeseen circumstances which may prevent some of the projects listed above from being undertaken or completed.


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Created: July 9, 2014 18:44 PDT
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