Benicia Unified School District Bond Issue, Measure S (June 2014)

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A Benicia Unified School District Bond Issue, Measure S ballot question was on the June 3, 2014 election ballot for voters in the Benicia Unified School District in Solano County, California, where it was approved.

Measure S authorized the district to increase its debt by $49.6 million through issuing general obligation bonds in order to fund major renovations and upgrades to school facilities. According to school officials, the bonds were estimated to cost taxpayers an additional $39 per $100,000 of assessed valuation.

Benicia Unified School District Superintendent Janice Adams said that the almost $50 million in bonds would be broken down in the following manner:

• $24,596,766 for upgrades to the districts technology, science classrooms and facilities;
• $13,215,761 for safety and security upgrades, such as fire alarms, exterior lighting, campus safety measures, bells, intercoms, rebuilt track and field areas and tennis courts, new bleachers and repaired concrete and asphalt;
• $5,379,159 earmarked for infrastructure improvements

• leaky roof repair
• the replacement of old plumbing, air conditioning, heating and ventilation
• increase of energy and water efficiency
• replacement of old furniture, equipment and vehicles; and

• $6,419,573 designed to go into library expenditures, the refurbishing of the school's multipurpose room, upgraded athletic areas and restrooms and replaced playground equipment

A 55 percent supermajority vote was required for the approval of Measure S.

Election results

Measure S
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		3,903	63.49%
No		2,244	36.51%

Election results from Solano County Elections Office

District FAQ

The following Frequently Asked Question pamphlet was provided by Benicia Unified School District officials:

“	Faced with aging classrooms, the need to bring school facilities up to current standards, and to provide equity among District schools, the Board of Trustees of the Benicia Unified School District has decided to place a local school improvement measure on the June ballot. The following information is provided to assist voters in understanding the facts behind Measure S and how its passage will affect the District and our community. Why is Measure S needed? Benicia Unified is the highest performing district in Solano County and is committed to providing an excellent education for our students. While the district has well maintained schools, our facilities are old and major upgrades and renovations need to be made. Our oldest school was first built in the 1930s. Farmar and Semple Elementary Schools were built in the 1950s. Like all aging facilities our infrastructure requires modernization and upgrades. Health, safety and security improvements need to be made at all sites. Renovations to meet the technology needs of 21st century classrooms are needed throughout the district. What is Measure S? Measure S is a $49.6 million general obligation (G.O.) bond program. The measure is intended to address the needs of the student population through modernization and renovation projects at all the District’s schools. What is a G.O. bond? G.O. bonds fund projects such as the renovation of classrooms and school facilities, as well as construction of new schools and classrooms. Similar to a home loan, G.O. bonds are typically repaid over 30 years. The loan repayment comes from a tax on all taxable property - residential, commercial, agricultural and industrial - located within the District’s boundaries. Why can’t the District meet its facilities needs with its current budget? Today, the scope of improvements needed at the Benicia Unified School District is far more than the current funding sources available. The per-pupil funding which the District receives from the state is intended to be used for the day-to-day business of educating children and not for major upgrades, renovations, and modernization projects or new classrooms and facilities. How did the District come up with the project list for Measure S? Over the last year with input from staff, teachers, parents, community leaders, and an architect, the District has prepared a School Facilities Needs Analysis. The Needs Analysis identifies the major repairs and upgrades that need to be made. In addition, a community survey was conducted to obtain voter opinions on specific projects and to gauge support for a school improvement measure. Specific types of projects identified include: Modernizing classrooms, restrooms and school facilities Making health, security, and energy-efficiency improvements Replacing temporary portable classrooms Upgrading athletic fields and facilities for school and community use Repairing or replacing roofs Improving student access to computers and modern technology Has the District ever passed a school improvement measure? Yes, over 15 years ago the District passed a school improvement measure with an overwhelming 73.8% voter support. Funds from that measure were used to expand the high school, reduce student overcrowding, and make renovations to schools throughout the District. It is now time to finish the work we started and bring the rest of our schools up to 21st century standards. What will the passage of Measure S mean for our students and the community? Measure S will provide our students with a better learning environment by making repairs and upgrades to existing classrooms and school facilities; many of which are also used and available to the community such as the libraries and playing fields. What will happen if Measure S does not pass? If Measure S does not pass, our classrooms and school facilities will continue to deteriorate. In addition, funds that would otherwise go to classroom instruction will be needed to make critical safety repairs and improvements at each school. Major repairs will need to be postponed and as a result will potentially be more expensive to make. What will Measure S cost? The tax rate per property owner is estimated to be $39 per $100,000 of assessed valuation per year or approximately $3.25 per month. (Do not confuse assessed valuation with market value. Assessed valuations are the value placed on property by the County and are almost always lower than market values). Check your property tax statement for your current assessed valuation. How can I be sure that Measure S funds will be spent on improving our local schools? By law, all bond funds have to be spent locally and cannot be taken by the state. In addition, a local independent citizens’ oversight committee will be established to ensure that bond funds are properly spent. Also by law, there must be annual audits of expenditures and no bond money can be used for teacher or administrative salaries.	”
—Benicia Unified School District officials

See also

• Local school bonds on the ballot
• Solano County, California ballot measures
• June 3, 2014 ballot measures in California

External links

Suggest a link

• Solano County Elections Department website
• Benicia Unified School District website, "Resolution calling for Measure S ballot question," accessed June 7, 2014

Additional reading

• Times Herald, "Vallejo, Benicia schools weigh June bond measures," January 24, 2014