75,185 / 71.7% Yes votes ...... 29,722 / 28.3% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

If this measure is approved by two-thirds of the voters, these improvements will be funded from the proceeds of general obligation bonds which the City plans to issue in multiple series over the next three years. The bond proceeds could only be used for the construction of fire and police stations, training facilities and 911 communications facilities and the cost of land acquisition for these improvements. The maximum principal amount of the bonds cannot exceed $159 million. The bonds would be paid from additional property taxes levied on real property within the City. Estimated information regarding tax rates is provided in the Tax Rate Statement printed elsewhere on this ballot.

The measure also requires the bond proceeds to be deposited in a special account and the creation of a citizens oversight or "watchdog" committee which will review annual reports of the expenditure of the bond proceeds.

Voting yes on this measure is a vote to authorize the City to issue general obligation bonds to finance fire, police and 911 communications facilities improvements.

Voting no on this measure is a vote against authorizing the City to issue general obligation bonds to finance fire, police and 911 communications facilities improvements.

Richard Doyle, City Attorney, City of San Jose

Please note

The material about this Measure has been retyped from Registrar of Voters' material. There could be errors. The official material can be obtained from the Registrar of Voters.

Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County - Vote No on O

The "San Jose 911, Fire, Police, Paramedic, and Neighborhood Security Act" will help protect the lives, homes and neighborhoods of San Jose residents. It gives our San Jose police officers, fire fighters and paramedics the right tools to save lives.

By voting yes we will:

• Create a state-of-the-art 911 Communications System,
• Build new neighborhood fire stations and upgrade existing fire stations.
• Build a new police substation in South San Jose.
• Expand community police stations.
• Build new and improved police and fire training facilities
• Expand community-policing efforts to ensure that our police officers work hand-in-hand with residents to prevent crime in your neighborhood.

All improvements will be completed within 8 years. Measure 0 mandates that a citizen watchdog committee will oversee the spending of all funds. Funds will only be used for building projects--not bureaucrats' salaries.

The Neighborhood Security Act represents years of careful planning by public safety experts. By voting yes we will save lives. Neighborhoods will be safer. Our community will be stronger.

We need these new and improved facilities now. The safety of our community depends on it. Join your police officers, fire fighters and paramedics in supporting Measure 0.

Mark Skeen, Vice President, San Jose Firefighters' Association

Marty Peterson, Former San Jose Senior Commissioner

Don Demers, President, San Jose Police Officers' Association

Susan Hammer, Former Mayor of San Jose

Ron Gonzales, Mayor of San Jose

Let's vote NO to send a message to the Mayor and City Council that, rather than build a new city hall, we want them to use these taxpayer dollars to pay for additional police and fire enhancements.

The proponents of this measure are implicitly telling us that they cannot pay for fire and police enhancements from the current budget and that everything else in the current budget is more important than fire and police enhancements. Vote NO to change their priorities.

A $159 million bond issue paying, for example, 5 percent simple interest for 30 years would mean over $238 million in interest payments, plus $159 million in principal for a total of over $397 million!

The annual interest payment of almost $8 million in the example is money that must be collected in taxes but goes to pay off bond holders. We, the taxpayers, pay this cost whenever the Mayor and City Council depart from the prudent and fiscally responsible practice of paying NOW for what is needed NOW, and budgeting to save for what will be needed in the future.

Vote FOR responsible and effective city spending: Vote NO on this $159,000,000 bond measure.

H. Raymond Strong, Chair, Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County

Dennis Michael Umphress, Libertarian Candidate for Congress (District 16)

Loraine A. Wallace, Chair, 40 Sites Committee

Dale Warner, Secretary, Independence High Neighborhood Association

If the bonds are authorized, the present projection is that the first series of bonds will be sold in FY 2001/02. Principal payments on the bonds would be due annually commencing the fiscal year after the date of issue and annually thereafter for a period of thirty years. Interest on the bonds, estimated to range between the current market rate of 4.79% and a more conservative planning rate of 7%, would be payable semiannually. The maturity schedule would provide for approximately equal annual payments of principal.

It is estimated that the assessed valuation of secured property within the City in FY 2001/02 is approximately $71,701,639,000. It is further estimated that the City's assessed valuation of secured property in 2005/06, the fiscal year after the issuance of the third and last series of bonds, will be approximately $77,612,160,000.

Based upon the financing plan outlined above and the projections of the assessed valuations, the estimated tax rates necessary to service the debt are as follows:

	Per $100 of Assessed Valuation
	4.79% interest rate	7% interest rate
1. First year after sale of first	$0.0038	$0.0053
series of bonds (2002/03)
2. First year after sale of second	$0.0110	$0.0152
series of bonds (2004/05)
3. First year after sale of third	$0.0137	$0.0188
and last series of bonds (2005/06)
4. Highest annual rate	$0.0137	$0.0188
anticipated (2005/06)

The above information is based upon the best estimates and projections presently available from official sources, experience within the City and other demonstrable factors. For planning purposes, three separate series of bonds are anticipated to be sold and the estimated tax rates are based on this assumption. The estimated tax rates shown above are cumulative, i.e. each additional series of bonds sold adds to the tax rate paid. The actual timing of bond sales and amounts sold (not to exceed the total authorized amount of this issue) will be governed by the needs of the City. The actual interest rates at which the bonds will be sold will depend upon the bond market at the time of sale. The actual assessed valuations in future years will depend upon the value of property within the City as determined in the assessment and equalization process.