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LWV League of Women Voters of California
Smart Voter
Monterey County, CA November 6, 2001 Election
Measure K
Improvement of School Facilities
Chualar Union School District

Bond Measure - 55% Approval Required

157 / 66.5% Yes votes ...... 79 / 33.4% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Information shown below: Yes/No Meaning | Impartial Analysis | Arguments | Tax Rate Statement | Full Text

To improve the quality of education, shall the Chualar Union School District be authorized to construct and modernize school facilities and classrooms, install automatic fire alarm systems, complete asbestos abatement, modernize HVAC systems, upgrade restrooms and sewers, replace plumbing systems, upgrade electrical systems to accommodate access to computers and modern technology, and construct a multipurpose cafeteria room, by issuing $1,900,000 of bonds subject to accountability measures and at an interest rate below the legal limit?

Meaning of Voting Yes/No
A YES vote of this measure means:
A 55% "yes" vote will allow the school district to issue up to $1.9 million in general obligation bonds to fund school improvements.

A NO vote of this measure means:
A "no" vote means that the bonds may not be sold.

Impartial Analysis from the County Counsel
The Board of Trustees of the Chualar Union School District has ordered an election to submit to the voters of the School District a measure to authorize the Chualar Union School District to incur a bonded indebtedness in the principal amount not exceeding $1,900,000. A "yes" vote is a vote to authorize the general obligation bonds to be issued and financed by ad valorem taxes levied annually on real property in the School District. A "no" vote is a vote against issuing the proposed general obligation bonds.

As authorized by Proposition 39, which was approved by the voters statewide on November 7, 2000, in order for this bond measure to pass, it must be approved by at least fifty-five percent of the voters voting on the measure.

The proceeds of the sale of the bonds will be used to construct and modernize school facilities and classrooms, install automatic fire alarm systems, complete asbestos abatement, modernize heating-ventilation-air conditioning systems, upgrade restrooms and sewers, replace plumbing systems, upgrade electrical systems to accommodate access to computers and modern technology, and construct a multipurpose cafeteria room.

Resolution No. 01-24 adopted by the Board of Trustees of the School District provides that, if the bond measure passes, the Board will appoint a citizens' oversight committee and conduct annual independent audits to assure that funds are spent only on school and classroom improvements approved by this measure and for no other purposes.

The bonds will be sold in one or more series and will bear interest at an interest rate per year not exceeding 12%. The maximum number of years any series of bonds will run will not exceed twenty-five (25) years. The property tax rate on real property within the School District will be increased above one percent (1%) of full cash value for the period necessary to pay off the bonds, as permitted by Section 1(b)(3) of Article XIIIA of the California Constitution.

The percentage increase in the real property tax may vary from year to year, depending on the amount of the bond debt which is paid during that year and on the total assessed value of all real property within the School District. In addition, since the interest rate on the bonds is determined when the bonds are sold, either at a negotiated sale or by competitive bidding, the exact amount of the tax increase can only be determined after the bonds are sold.

s/Adrienne M. Grover, County Counsel

 
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Arguments For Measure K Arguments Against Measure K
Your YES vote on Measure K will have a lasting, positive impact on our children's school and on our community.

MEASURE K WILL IMPROVE OUR SCHOOLS.

The existing K-8 school of the Chualar School District was first built in 1947. No major improvements have been made since 1978. The school continues to be a center point and resource to our community; however to prepare our students for the 21st century, substantial improvements are now needed to our classrooms and school.

Measure K will:

  • Upgrade classroom electrical systems to accommodate computers and modern technology
  • Construct a multipurpose cafeteria room for school and community use
  • Modernize heating and ventilation systems, upgrade restrooms and sewers, and replace plumbing systems
  • Make health and safety improvements including installing automatic fire alarm systems and completing asbestos abatement

MEASURE K MAKES FINANCIAL SENSE.

As taxpayers, we all agree in the importance of our children's education and the value of quality schools.

Measure K will:

  • Make the District eligible for approximately $740,000 in State-matching funds
  • Make repairs now instead of putting them off into the future when they will only cost more
  • Be used only to improve our children's school - not to pay administrative or employee salaries.

Voting YES will have lasting, positive benefits. Measure K will maintain our school as a focal point of our community, allow for the continued quality education of our children, and add to the value of our community and homes. It will provide our students with access to modern classroom technology, construct a new multipurpose cafeteria for school and community use, and ensure that the District is eligible to receive State-matching funds.

Invest in our community's future by voting YES ON MEASURE K! Let's keep Chualar a great place to raise our children and grandchildren.

s/Lidia Contreras M.
Prominent Resident

s/Michelle Thelander
Educator

s/Jesus Gutierrez
PTO President

s/Elizabeth Flores-Ochoa
President of Board of Trustees

s/Hui Moon Kim
Amigos Market Owner

NO ARGUMENT AGAINST THIS MEASURE WAS SUBMITTED

Tax Rate Statement
An election will be held in the Chualar Union School District on November 6th, 2001 to authorize the sale of up to $1.9 million in general obligation bonds of the District to finance the acquisition and improvement of real property for school purposes. If such bonds are authorized and sold, the principal thereof and interest thereon 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 Election Code of the State of California.

1. The best estimate of the tax rate that would be required to be levied to fund the bond issue during the first fiscal year after the first sale of bonds based on a projection of future assessed valuations is $0.0300 per $100 of assessed valuation in Fiscal Year 2002-2003.

2. The best estimate of the tax rate that would be required to be levied to fund the bond issue during the first fiscal year after the last sale of bonds if the bonds are sold in series, and an estimate of the fiscal year in which that rate will apply, based on a projection of future assessed valuations is $0.0300 per $100 of assessed valuation in Fiscal Year 2012-13.

3. The best estimate of the highest tax rate that would be required to be levied to fund the bond issue and an estimate of the fiscal year in which that rate will apply, based on a projection of future assessed valuations, is again $0.0300 per $100 of assessed valuation, which is projected to be the same in every fiscal year.

Attention of all voters is directed to the fact that the foregoing is based upon projections and estimates only, which are not binding upon the District. The actual tax rates and 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 amount of bonds sold at any given sale, and the actual assessed valuation over the term of the repayment of the bonds. The actual time of sales of said bonds and the amount sold at any given time will be governed by the needs of the District and other factors (including market rate variations in the interest rate on general obligation bonds). Actual future assessed valuation will depend upon the amount and value of taxable property within the District as determined in the assessment and equalization process.

Full Text of Measure K
To improve the quality of education, shall the Chualar Union School District be authorized to construct and modernize school facilities and install automatic fire alarm systems, complete asbestos abatement, modernize HVAC systems, upgrade restrooms and sewers, replace plumbing systems, upgrade electrical systems to accommodate access to computers and modern technology, and construct a multipurpose cafeteria room, by issuing $1,900,000 of bonds subject to accountability measures and at an interest rate below the legal limits to construct and improve facilities at Chualar Union School District including the following specific school facilities projects to be funded:

I. Install automatic fire alarm systems and complete asbestos abatement to increase student safety.
II. Modernize and upgrade new heating, ventilation and air conditioning and electrical systems, upgrade light fixtures, window frames and roofing per current code.
III. Modernize classrooms by providing plumbing upgrades, installing new flooring, ceilings, cabinetry and interior finishes.
IV. Complete renovation and installation of needed site improvements, including utilities, ADA requirements and hallway lockers.
V. Construct a new multi-purpose cafeteria room for school and community use.
VI. Upgrade restrooms and sewers and replace plumbing systems.
VII. Furnish and equip the school to provide students with access to adequate facilities and access to modern technology to the extent permitted by law.

As required by the California Constitution, the proceeds from the sale of the bonds will be used only for the provision of school facilities by 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, and not for any other purpose, including teacher and administrator salaries and other school operating expenses. The proceeds of the bonds will be deposited to a Building Fund and the chief fiscal officer of the District will annually file a report with the Board of Education, which report shall contain information regarding the amount of funds collected and expended, as well as the status of the projects listed in the ballot measure.

The District's Board of Education has certified that it has evaluated safety, class size reduction and information technology needs in developing the foregoing list.

The District's Board of Education will conduct an annual, independent performance audit to ensure that the funds have been expended only on the project list set forth above.

The District's Board of Education will conduct an annual. independent financial audit of the proceeds from the sale of the Bonds until all of those proceeds have been expended for the school facilities projects.

Pursuant to Section l5772 of the Education Code, the District's Board of Education will appoint a citizens' oversight committee and conduct annual independent audits to assure that funds are spent only on school and classroom improvements and for no other purposes. The oversight committee will include representatives of business, senior citizens, taxpayers, PTA and parents.

As required by Section 53410 of the Government Code the following accountability measures are hereby made a part of the District's Bond Measure (the "Measure"):

(a) The specific purpose of the bonds is to improve the quality of educationby constructing and modernizing school facilities.
(b) The proceeds from the sale of the District's bonds will be used only for the purposes specified in the Measure, and not for any other purpose;
(c) The proceeds of the Bonds will be deposited into a Building Fund to be held by the Monterey County Treasurer, as required by the California Education Code; and
(d) The chief fiscal officer of the District shall file an annual report with the Board of Trustees of the District, commencing not later than January 1, 2002, and annually thereafter, which report shall contain pertinent information regarding the amount of funds collected and expended, as well as the status of the projects listed in the Measure.

Approval of Measure K does not guarantee that the proposed project or projects in the Chualar Union School District that are the subject of bonds under Measure K will be funded beyond the local revenues generated by Measure K. The school district's proposal for the project or projects may assume the receipt of matching state funds, which could be subject to appropriation by the Legislature or approval of a statewide bond measure.

s/Dr. Robert Aguilar, Superintendent, Chualar Union School District


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Created: May 3, 2002 13:10 PDT
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