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LWV League of Women Voters of California
Smart Voter
Los Angeles County, CA November 4, 2003 Election
Measure AA
Issuance of School Improvement Bonds
Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District

General Obligation Bond - 55% Approval Required

1,231 / 48.33% Yes votes ...... 1,316 / 51.67% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Results as of Nov 24 1:43pm, 100.00% of Precincts Reporting (6/6)
Information shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments | Full Text

To design and construct permanent classrooms, science labs, a library, a gymnasium, make basic technology improvements at Vasquez High School of the Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District ("School District") and qualify for $6,100,000 in State Grant Funding, shall the School District be authorized to issue bonds ("Bonds") in an amount not to exceed up to $13,100.000 as detailed in the project list which is on file at the School District office and incorporated herein by this reference? The Bonds shall be issued for a term not to exceed up to the statutory maximum, which is twenty-five (25) years in the case of Bonds issued under the authority of the Education Code and forty (40) years in the case of Bonds issued under the authority of the Government Code, at an interest rate below the legal maximum.

Impartial Analysis from County Counsel
Approval of Measure AA would authorize the Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District ("District") to issue general obligation bonds, in an amount not to eceed $13,100,000.

Funds received from the sale of the bonds would be used only for the design and construction of Vasquez High School existing interim facilities, including acquisition or lease of real property for Vasquez High School facilities. No funds can be used for teacher and administrator salaries or any other school operating expenses.

The District will keep on file a list of the specific projects comprising the Vasquez High School Project to be funded by the proceeds of the bonds. The Board of Trustees of the District shall conduct annual, independent financial and performance audites to ensure that funds received from the sale of the bonds have been expended only on the Vasquez High School projects identified, and will appoint a citizens' oversight committee to assure that the bond proceeds are spent only on the Vasquez High School projects.

The bonds would be issued for a term not to exceed up to the statutory maximum of twenty-five (25) years in the case of bonds issued under the authority of the Education Code and forty (40) years in the case of bonds issued under the authority of the Government Code. The bonds would be issued at an interest rate below the legal maximum, and will only be issued if the tax rate levied does not exceed sixty (60) dollars per year per one hundred thousand (100,000) dollars of taxable property.

This Measure requires a fifty-five percent (55%) vote for passage.

  News and Analysis

Los Angeles Daily News

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Arguments For Measure AA Arguments Against Measure AA
Residents in the Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District have a unique cost-saving opportunity to provide permanent school facilities at Vazquez High School. The State of California will provide $6.1 million, authorized by voter-approved Proposition 47, to assist in the construction of permanent buildings at Vazquez High School. Local residents can ONLY take advantage of this state program by voting YES for Measure AA on November 4, 2003.

Measure AA will construct 24 permanent classrooms, a library, a gymnasium and other core facilities at Vazquez High School. Students in the Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District will have modern facilities equal to those provided to children in most California communities through voter support.

Residents of this community take great pride in our independence and self-reliance. We develop unique solutions to our immediate and future needs. Passage of Measure AA continues this tradition by using $6.1 million in state money to augment the $13.1 million generated by Measure AA to construct a permanent high school for our children.

Accountability to taxpayers for spending of bond dollars is guaranteed. By law, bond money may only be spent to fund projects itemized in the ballot measure. Extensive auditing and the formation of a citizens? oversight committee are also required. An annual report of expenditures and construction progress will be made public.

Measure AA is supported by independent local leaders concerned about the immediate and future need of our community and our children.

Vote YES on Measure AA

Maximino S. Duran
Retired School Facilities Planner

Sheila R. Cook
Realtor/School Volunteer

Wendy K.M. Barnes
Parent/Vasquez High School Teacher

Virginia Applen
Parent/Community Volunteer

Richard D. Anderson
Fire Fighter

Vote NO on the Acton/Agua.Dulce Unified School District $13,100,000 Bond.
Vote NO to HIGHER TAXES!

This measure is only slightly different than the last general obligation bond proposed and DEFEATED, just a few months ago.

This BOND means that you will pay more property taxes unless you vote NO. Depending on the value of your property, the impact of the Bond means that it could cost you hundreds of dollars every year for approximately 25 - 40 years.

Because our communities are unique, rural areas, mandated to have larger parcels and therefore less population base, the financial burden on taxpayers will be enormous. This measure claims to be about our children and our schools. OUR KIDS will be paying for these bonds for the next 25 - 40 years, For many citizens, especially the SENIORS on fixed incomes these burdensome NEW TAXES are too much.

With the State in such dire straits economically, there will be no guarantee that our taxes will not skyrocket.

At present, the so-called State grants/matching funds of $6,100,000. is NOT GUARANTEED, nor matching.

Let the politicians come up with another plan that does not include the payment of higher property taxes. HIGHER PROPERTY TAXES will not insure that the children get a better education.

Basic - 101 - DEBT FREE KIDS!

VOTE NO on School Bonds! VOTE NO TO HIGHER TAXES!

Bernard Schwab
Retired - Quality Engineering

Eleanor M. Braun
Historian NHC of A/AD

Vinton M. Lampton
Retired Air Traffic Controller

Robert Connelly
Resident & Landowner

Ray F. Billet
Owner Blum Ranch

Full Text of Measure AA
To design and construct permanent classrooms, science labs, a library, a gymnasium, make basic technology improvements at Vasquez High School of the Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District ("School District") and qualify for $6,100,000 in State Grant Funding, shall the School District be authorized to issue bonds ("Bonds") in an amount not to exceed up to $13,100.000 as detailed in the project list which is on file at the School District office and incorporated herein by this reference? The Bonds shall be issued for a term not to exceed up to the statutory maximum, which is twenty-five (25) years in the case of Bonds issued under the authority of the Education Code and forty (40) years in the case of Bonds issued under the authority of the Government Code, at an interest rate below the legal maximum, and which Bonds shall be subject to the following provisions:

(A) That proceeds of the Bonds shall be used only for the design and construction of Vasquez High School existing interim facilities, including the acquisition or lease of facilities or real property for Vasquez High School facilities pursuant to California Constitution Article XIII A, Section 1(b)(3) and further that the proceeds of the Bonds shall be used only for the purposes specified in California Constitution Article XIII A, Section 1(b)(3) (as amended by Proposition 39) and not for any other purpose, including teacher and administrator salaries or any other school operating expenses;

(B) That a list of specific projects comprising the Vasquez High School Project to be funded with the proceeds of the Bonds is on file at the District office and incorporated herein by this reference and, based upon the adoption of this resolution, this Board of Trustees hereby certifies that it has evaluated safety, class size reduction and information technology needs in developing the list of projects comprising the Vasquez High School Project identified herein;

(C) That the Board of Trustees of the District shall conduct annual, independent performance audits to insure that the proceeds from the sale of the Bonds have been expended only on the Vasquez High School Project indentified herein;

(D) That the Board of Trustees of the District shall conduct annual, independent financial audits of the proceeds from the sale of the Bonds until all of thoe proceeds have been expended for the Vasquez High School Project identified herein; and

(E) That the Board of Trustees of the District will appoint a "Citizens' Oversight Committee" to assure that the Bond proceeds are spent only on the Vasquez High School Project aa identified herein.


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