Lake Tahoe Community College District Bond Issue, Measure F (November 2014)

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A Lake Tahoe Community College District Bond Issue, Measure F ballot question was on the November 4, 2014 election ballot for voters in the Lake Tahoe Community College District (LTCC) in El Dorado County, California. It was approved.

Measure F authorized the district to increase its debt by $55 million through issuing general obligation bonds in that amount. District officials estimated that an additional annual property tax of $25 per $100,000 assessed property value would be required to repay the bonds.

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

Election results

Lake Tahoe CCD Measure F
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		3,784	57.80%
No		2,763	42.20%

Election results via: El Dorado County Elections Office

Text of measure

Ballot question

The question on the ballot:

“

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

The following impartial analysis was prepared for Measure F:

“	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, El Dorado County Counsel

Support

Lake Tahoe Television, "TNT LTCC DrKindred MeasureF," October 3, 2014

Yes for LTCC campaign logo

Supporters

A campaign called Yes for LTCC was started to urge voters to approve Measure F.

The following individuals signed the official arguments in favor of Measure F:

• Alicia Agnew, Lake Tahoe Community College Graduate, 2014
• Paul Rork, M.D., family practice physican
• Sara Pierce, LTCC instructor, faculty leader
• John Rice, general manager of the Sierra at Tahoe Resort
• Roberta Mason, founding LTCC Board Member and 57-year resident

Arguments in favor

The following was submitted as the official arguments in favor of Measure F:

Lake Tahoe Television, "TNT LTCC Student Measure F," October 4, 2014

“	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.	”
—Alicia Agnew, Paul Rork, Sara Pierce, John Rice and Roberta Mason

Opposition

Arguments against

Opponents of Measure F argued that the bond issue proposed in Measure F was unrealistic and does not prioritize correctly. Critics point to the proposed $5.7 million of bond money to be spent on a safety training facility, the $5 million earmarked for an environmental studies and sustainability center and the $4 million allocated to bond management, creation of documents and administration as examples of expensive plans that would not boost enrollment or significantly improve the education of students. Some opponents claimed that the district should have proposed a smaller bond focused only on the creation of student housing, the improvement of technology and science facilities and the general maintenance of buildings the college already has, since these were the priorities of the community and of students.

Editorials

• The editorial board of Lake Tahoe News wrote an article opposing Measure F. An excerpt of the editorial is below:

“	Lake Tahoe News dreams of a successful, viable two-year institution that continues to thrive in South Lake Tahoe. We want students to have state-of-the-art equipment and roofs that don’t leak. We want the college to be a centerpiece of the South Shore. We want the college to succeed and even be more than it is today. But Measure F is not the way to get there. The $55 million bond on the Nov. 4 ballot is the gold-plated version. It’s a pie-in-the-sky approach to getting things we are not convinced the college or community need. We don’t believe that just because you build it, they will come. [...] With online education growing, do we need more brick and mortar? [...] LTCC has many wonderful programs. Enhance and grow what is working before becoming more than you are. There is room for improvement for what exists today. [...] Officials say they want LTCC to be a destination college. How is this even possible when there is no housing for students? Student housing is not part of the bond despite the fact that in September 2013 during a daylong visioning session dorms were at the top of the list of desires from the community. We are not convinced more buildings and programs will bring more enrollment. And if enrollment doesn’t increase, what would be the point of such a significant outlay of money? We believe the college should come back to voters with a downsized bond that looks less like a wish list and more like a needs list. We want to know our money is going for substance and not fluff. We know the college needs to upgrade its technology, science lab and work on safety issues. These needs we believe are things the voters should invest in. We can’t justify spending more taxpayer money on facilities when the college has clearly demonstrated it cannot maintain what it has. The college needs to get its house in order before it starts building new facilities. For these reasons we urge voters to vote no on Measure F.	”
—Lake Tahoe News editorial board

See also

• Local school bonds on the ballot
• El Dorado County, California ballot measures
• November 4, 2014 ballot measures in California

External links

Suggest a link

• El Dorado County Elections Office website

Support

• Yes for LTCC website, accessed October 17, 2014

Additional reading

• Lake Tahoe News, "Letter to the Editor: Measure F moves Tahoe out of status quo," October 16, 2014