Santa Rosa High School District Bond Issue, Measure I (November 2014)

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A Santa Rosa High School District Bond Issue, Measure I ballot question is on the November 4, 2014 election ballot for voters in the Santa Rosa High School District in Sonoma County, California.

Upon its approval, Measure I was designed to authorize the district to increase its debt by $175 million through issuing general obligation bonds in that amount. District officials estimated the additional annual property tax rate required to repay these bonds to be $30 per $100,000 of assessed property value.

Voters in the Santa Rosa Elementary School District were also asked to authorize a bond issue of $54 million under the name Measure L. Measure L was also approved.

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

Election results

Measure I
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		34,086	64.0%
No		19,149	36.0%

Election results from Sonoma County Elections Office

Text of measure

Ballot question

The question on the ballot:

“

To improve high school educational quality and student safety by upgrading classrooms and science labs, replacing deteriorating and outdated plumbing, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, providing updated 21st century classroom technology, and acquiring, renovating or constructing classrooms, equipment, sites and facilities, shall Santa Rosa High School District issue $175 million in bonds at legal rates, including independent citizens’ oversight, annual audits, no money for administrators’ salaries and all funds benefitting local schools (State cannot take the funds)?

”

Impartial analysis

The following impartial analysis was prepared for Measure I:

“	The California Constitution allows school districts to borrow money by issuing bonds to pay for construction, repair, replacement, and acquisition of school facilities if 55 percent of the voters who vote on the measure approve the sale of the bonds. The City of Santa Rosa High School District Board of Education has called for an election and placed on the ballot the question of whether to issue bonds in the amount of $175 million for repairs and improvements of District classrooms and school facilities. Money raised by bond sales can be used for the purposes and projects stated in the Project List set forth in the Measure. Projects include basic facility repairs, including repairing or replacing deteriorating plumbing, sewer, electrical, heating, and air conditioning systems; school safety repairs and improvements; and educational technology improvements. As required by state law, the measure prohibits using bond proceeds for teacher or administrator salaries or other operating expenses. The inclusion of a capital improvement on the Project List is not a guarantee that the project will be funded or completed. The Project List is a statement of present intention of the District’s Board, and does not imply any particular prioritization among improvements. If the Measure is adopted, the District’s Board will conduct annual, independent financial and performance audits to ensure that bond proceeds have been expended only on the projects on the Bond Project List. In addition, a Citizens’ Oversight Committee will be established within sixty days of the entry of the election results on the Board’s minutes. The proceeds of the bonds will be maintained in a separate account in the County Treasury, and the Board must receive an annual report on the status of projects undertaken and the amount of bond proceeds received and expended in that year. If the Measure is approved, the District expects to sell the bonds in series over time. The funds to repay the bonds would be raised by an increase in property taxes based upon the value of land and improvements in the District. The interest rate on the bonds would depend on the market rate at the time the bonds are sold, but cannot exceed the rate set by state law. The Tax Rate Statement prepared by the District Superintendent, which follows this analysis, estimates the property tax levies required to pay off the bonds. The estimated tax levies are a projection, and could go up or down, depending on a number of factors including the timing and amount of bond sales, and changes in assessed value of property in the District.	”
—Jeffrey M. Brax, Sonoma County Deputy Counsel

Support

Supporters

Friends of Santa Rosa Schools campaign logo

The official campaign that supported both Measure I and Measure L - the Santa Rosa High School and Elementary School district bond measures - was called Friends of Santa Rosa Schools.

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

• Jane Bender, former mayor of Santa Rosa
• Ashley Haskins, past president of Schools Plus
• Susan C. Millar, Oakmont resident
• Brett Martinez, president/CEO of the Redwood Credit Union
• Ernesto Olivares, council member of Santa Rosa

Arguments in favor

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

“	In today’s competitive, 21st-century economy, students in our local Santa Rosa high schools must be prepared to excel—that’s why we urge you to vote Yes on I.Measure I improves classrooms and labs, preparing students for college and careers. By upgrading outdated science labs, classrooms and technology, Measure I supports college preparatory programs and career training for local students’ future success. Many of our neighborhood middle and high schools are aging and in need of basic repairs and upgrades to ensure they are clean and safe for improved student learning. As the state continues to underfund school repairs and technology upgrades, our schools must seek local solutions. Measure I is the answer. All Measure I funds will benefit our Santa Rosa middle and high schools—the state can’t take a single penny. Measure I will improve our middle and high schools by: Upgrading classrooms and labs for college preparation and career training; Providing updated, 21st-century computer learning technology; Repairing leaky roofs and deteriorating plumbing, sewer, heating and air-conditioning systems; Improving school access for students with disabilities; Upgrading campus security, safety and fire systems to ensure schools meet current earthquake and fire safety codes. Measure I includes strong fiscal accountability provisions: Annual audits and public reports detailing the use of all funds are required; An independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee will ensure funds are spent as promised; No money could be used for administrators’ salaries; Measure I qualifies our schools for future state matching funds, which would otherwise be unavailable. Our quality middle and high schools help protect property values and keep our community safe and strong. Please join parents, teachers, retirees, local business owners and Santa Rosa leaders—Vote Yes on I to continue improving educational opportunities for all neighborhood students.	”
—Jane Bender, Ashley Haskins, Susan C. Millar, Brett Martinez and Ernesto Olivares

Opposition

Opponents

Michael Hilber signed the official arguments in opposition to Measure I.

Arguments against

The following was submitted as the official arguments in opposition to Measure I:

“	This school board continues to complain that they do not receive enough money from the State, but they should look to the Teacher’s Union radical liberal socialists like Tom Ammiano that were put in the State Legislature and blame them. Teacher’s union socialists have the repeal of Proposition 13 at the top of their agenda, but even if they succeeded they would just squander the money and still be broke. Teacher’s union socialists are leading champions of the property tax exempt, subsidized, nonprofit owned, so-called “affordable” apartment complex developments we see sprouting up all over. They proudly support this property tax increase because they appreciate the importance of collecting more money from those who pay, to offset the loss coming from those who don’t. Also it should be noted substantial money from this tax would go to “technology upgrades” which would advance that dubious new initiative called “Common Core.” Common Core is a scheme that was cooked up by special interests with a political agenda. It was financed by and received direction during development from Microsoft Corporation’s Bill Gates. Now we see a proposed tax where money would go toward buying the latest and greatest computing equipment and software from Microsoft Corporation. Is this a coincidence? The school board will give the usual gibberish about how this tax will not be used for salaries and cannot be confiscated by the state. They are trying to imply that state funding they receive does not cover infrastructure, so a separate local tax is required, but that is false. This is an incompetent, pandering, unworthy school board and their tax measure deserves a no vote.	”
—Michael Hilber

Related measures

• Santa Rosa Elementary School District Bond Issue, Measure L (November 2014) a

See also

• School bond elections in California
• Local school bonds on the ballot
• Sonoma County, California ballot measures
• November 4, 2014 ballot measures in California

External links

Suggest a link

• Sonoma County Registrar of Voters Office website
• Friends of Santa Rosa Schools website, accessed October 8, 2014