Piedmont Unified School District Bond Issue, Measure H (June 2014)

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A Piedmont Unified School District Bond Issue, Measure H ballot question was on the June 3, 2014 election ballot for voters in the Piedmont Unified School District in Alameda County, California, where it was defeated.

Measure H would have authorized the Piedmont Unified School District to increase its debt by $13.5 million through issuing general obligation bonds in that amount in order to fund the improvement of district facilities. Constance Hubbard, superintendent of Piedmont Unified School District, estimated that the property tax required to retire these bonds would have varied between an annual $17 and $50 per $100,000 of assessed valuation, with $50 being the highest rate, likely imposed in the 2020/2021 fiscal year.

The bond money would have largely been used to renovate and repair the Alex Harvey Theater on the Piedmont High School campus.

In the Piedmont Unified School District, where the average house had a value of $821,000 in 2014, homeowners, without Measure H, paid about $3,692 per year in property taxes to pay the school district's operating costs and to retire existing bond debt. If Measure H had been approved, this amount would have increased by at least $136 per year, leading to a total property tax payment of $3,692 for the average homeowner. This total tax payment was predicted to decrease in 2019, the year that the district planned to finish retiring some previous bond debt.

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

Election results

Measure H
Result		Votes	Percentage
d No		1,978	52.34%
Yes		1,801	47.66%

Election results from Alameda County Elections Office

Text of measure

Ballot question

The question on the ballot:

“

To provide Piedmont students and residents with a safe and accessible school theater facility, and to add and renovate classrooms, improve fire/life safety, energy efficiency, and ventilation, and repair/renovate aging structural, mechanical, electrical, and utility systems, shall Piedmont Unified School District issue up to $13,500,000 of bonds at legal rates, with mandatory audits, and citizen oversight?

”

Tax statement

The following statement was produced by the superintendent of PUSD as an analysis and tax summary for Measure H:

“	An election will be held in the Piedmont Unified School District (the “District”) on June 3, 2014, to authorize the sale of up to $13,500,000 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 one series. 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 9400-9404 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 $0.017 per $100 ($17 per $100,000) of assessed valuation 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 $0.017 per $100 ($17 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2014-15. 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 $0.050 per $100 ($50 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2020-21. Voters should note that these estimated tax rates are based on the assessed value of taxable property in the District as shown on the official tax rolls of Alameda County, not on the property’s market 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 the 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. 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 the bond sale, the amount of bonds sold and market interest rates at the time of the sale, and actual assessed valuations over the term of repayment of the bonds. The estimates are based upon the District’s projections and are not binding upon the District. 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 District does not anticipate using bonds that will compound in interest (Capital Appreciation Bonds). Also, the District expects to repay the bonds in 13 years. 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 Alameda County property tax assessors in the annual assessment and the equalization process. A final decision on bond structure will be made by the Board of Education based on market interest rates and conditions at the time of issuance.	”
—Constance Hubbard, superintendent of Piedmont Unified School District

Full text

The full text of the ordinance that would have been enacted if Measure H was approved is available here.

Support

Supporters

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

• Dana L. Copeland, president of Piedmont High School Parents Club
• Hilary Cooper, president of Piedmont Middle School Parents Club
• Bryan Cantrill, president of Beach Parents Organization
• Jenny Lynn, president of Havens Parent Club
• Ereca Miller, president of Wildwood Parent Club

Arguments in favor

Official arguments

The following was submitted as the official argument in favor of Measure H:

“	The Piedmont High School theater is nearly 40 years old and in need of significant safety and accessibility upgrades and repairs. The theater is heavily used as a classroom, auditorium, and performing arts facility for the Piedmont schools and community. The theater/auditorium has been determined to have fire/life safety issues and does not meet the legal accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Without significant renovations, the theater may need to close. Measure H will: Provide handicapped accessibility to seating, restrooms, stage, orchestra area, and classrooms; Provide fire/life safety improvements to the ventilation, exit lighting, and sprinkler systems; Upgrade the mechanical, electrical, and utility systems of the facility; Improve energy efficiency, lighting, and sound systems; Renovate aging restrooms for health and safety; Add/improve classroom space for the high school performing arts program; Add/improve performance space for the K-12 performing arts program. Most Piedmont students benefit from the K-12 performing arts program while attending the Piedmont schools. The school theater serves as a drama/acting classroom; a place for student assemblies, vocal and instrumental music concerts, plays, musicals, dance performances, and parent education programs. The theater also provides Piedmont residents with community events from an Education Speaker Series to the Bird Calling Contest. All use this public facility. All of the money raised by this measure will stay in our community. State modernization funds and private donations will reduce the cost to local homeowners. A citizens’ committee made up of accountants, business leaders, and local citizens will monitor the project to make sure every dollar is properly spent. Please join us in voting YES on Measure H for a Safe School Theater.	”
—Dana L. Copeland, Hilary Cooper, Bryan Cantrill, Jenny Lynn and Ereca Miller

Editorials

• The Contra Costa Times editorial board endorsed a "yes" vote on Measure H, writing:

“	Yes on Piedmont School District Measure H: In any other city, the existing school property taxes would be unthinkable. But this is Piedmont, where assessed home values average $821,000.	”
—Contra Costa Times editorial board

Opposition

Opponents

Alicia Kalamas, a Piedmont voter, wrote and signed the official argument in opposition to Measure H.

Arguments against

Official arguments

The following was submitted as the official argument against Measure H:

“	We enthusiastically support development of a comprehensive and enhanced performing arts program for the PUSD. The current Ballot Measure and bond structure fail to address this objective and we are being asked to pay too much for what we will be getting. Specifically: 1/ There are no provisions for improving upon and/or expanding the existing performing arts curriculum (i.e. the current funding structure does not allow for this) 2/ The proposed renovation fails to address several components considered basic elements of a modern theater including a theatrical rigging system for hoisting equipment safely between scenes and space for storing the intricately crafted and potentially reusable sets. The existing glass walls contribute to the acoustical failure of the theater and cannot be addressed with a renovation. Furthermore, the proposed renovation will result in fewer seats requiring more than 2 assemblies to accommodate our high school student body. 3/ There are no provisions for proper maintenance and upkeep of the new structure. Contrary to what has been asserted, the existing facility allows ADA access to the stage, dressing rooms, and theater seating. ADA access to the front row can be achieved by adding a ramp from the quad. There is no history of a theatre being shut down for an ADA violation. The issue of ADA compliance is being used as a scare tactic and is creating a false sense of urgency. As a community we only consider a renovation of this magnitude every forty to fifty years. Since we are being asked to make a tremendous investment in our bricks and mortar, we should spend some additional time exploring all potential concepts for renovation including the cost of a brand new theater. After all, making modifications to an existing structure can lead to substantial unanticipated cost overruns (e.g. utility undergrounding).	”
—Alicia Kalamas, a Piedmont voter

See also

• School bond elections in California

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

External links

Suggest a link

• Alameda County Elections Department website