Pass: 99,077 / 57.18% Yes votes ...... 74,192 / 42.82% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

The ballot measure states that the money raised would be used "[t]o renovate aging college facilities (making energy savings, safety, and handicapped accessibility improvements), and update facilities used by transfer, career and vocational students (for math, science, nursing, technology and other programs) at Contra Costa College, Diablo Valley College, Los Medanos College, the San Ramon Valley and Brentwood centers." The specific projects are set forth in the Bond Project List attached to the resolution of the District's governing board. In developing the list of specific projects, the District's governing board evaluated safety, class size reduction, and information technology needs. The money raised would only be used for the listed projects and not for any other purpose, including not for teacher and administrator salaries and other school operating expenses.
The ballot measure also calls for the establishment of an independent citizens' oversight committee to ensure that the money raised is expended only on the listed projects. In addition, the governing board of the District will conduct an annual independent performance audit to ensure that the funds are expended only on the listed projects, and conduct an annual independent financial audit of the money raised until it has been spent on the listed projects.

A "yes" vote is in favor of authorizing the bonded indebtedness.
A "no" vote is against authorizing the bonded indebtedness.

Oakland Tribune

• Contra Costa to vote on college bond measure $286.5 million would enable community education district to renovate aging facilities - 5/28/06

Yes on A Website

No on A Website

Modernize and improve aging facilities

Each day the more than 35,000 students enrolled in Contra Costa College, Diablo Valley College and Los Medanos College face classrooms, science labs and other college facilities that are more than 40 years old. These aging facilities need seismic upgrades, disabled access, repair and modernization. Expand high demand career programs and prepare for the future Nursing, dental, math, science, technology and other programs must be expanded to meet student demand and prepare for the future workforce needs of the County. The classrooms and labs at each of our community colleges must be prepared to educate a student population that will continue to grow over the next 15 years. Measure A provides accountability Measure A limits bond funding to a specific project list contained in this measure. It requires audits and a citizen oversight committee to ensure funds are used as promised. The project list specifies the classroom and lab facilities to be improved at Contra Costa, Diablo Valley, and Los Medanos colleges. In addition, all campuses will receive:

 upgraded and improved communications, network and wireless technology;  more efficient and sustainable energy systems including solar power and greater conservation to reduce energy costs and improve energy efficiency;  upgraded aging sewer, water and gas lines; and  District classrooms, buildings and facilities accessible to those with disabilities and improved seismic safety. The cost of Measure A is also reasonable. It will cost an annual average of $9 per $100,000 of assessed value. Our community colleges have served the education needs of local students very well for more than fifty years. Approval of Measure A is an investment in our community's colleges continued ability to educate and prepare generations of students for the economic and workforce opportunities of the future.

Visit http://www.measureAinfo.com to learn more.

Laura Canciamilla, Pittsburg Unified School District Board Member Mark DeSaulnier, Supervisor, Contra Costa County John Gioia, Chair, Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Richard K. Rainey, State Senator Susan McNulty Rainey, Mayor Pro-Tem, Walnut Creek

• CCCCD's 2002 BALLOT ARGUMENT -- FOR THEIR $120 MILLION BOND THEN -- claimed CCCCD "serves nearly 60,000 students and will grow up to 30% over the next ten years." Now it's allegedly "more than 35,000 students." In fact, CCCCD enrolled fewer than 30,000 full-time equivalent students this year.
• DURING 2004-05, CCCCD "enrolled the equivalent of 1,700 fewer full-time students... than in 2003-04" (Contra Costa Times, February 26, 2006).
• TAXPAYERS ALREADY FUND REDUNDANT FACILITIES. CCCCD'S new Dougherty campus is only 7 miles from Las Positas College. As a Chabot-Las Positas Community College District trustee said, "This is a sad waste of taxpayers' money." At Cal State East Bay's Concord Campus, "attendance has been consistently sparse since the site opened in 1992" (Contra Costa Times, October 22, 2004).
• MEASURE A'S ADVERTISED $9.00 PER $100,000 TAX RATE -- "based upon... projections and estimates only" -- was contrived from how-much-can-we-get-away-with polling.
• TAXPAYERS HAVE GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED STATE EDUCATION BONDS, FROM WHICH CCCCD HAS RECEIVED MANY MILLIONS -- including Proposition 203 ($3.0 Billion, 1996); Prop. 1A ($9.2 Billion, 1998); Prop. 47 ($13.0 Billion, 2002); Prop. 55 ($12.3 Billion, 2004). November's state bonds anticipate many billions more for schools.
• "CITIZENS' OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES" BECOME JUST CRONY COMMITTEES, STACKED WITH BOND SUPPORTERS. CCCCD personnel nominated all 15 "independent oversight committee" members for CCCCD's 2002 bond. MEASURE A, ANOTHER IRRESPONSIBLE PROP. 39 BOND, REQUIRES JUST 55% APPROVAL. Citizens opposing Prop. 39's assault on Prop. 13 should... VOTE NO ON MEASURE A!

Michael Arata -- Industrial Consultant; Marilynne L. Mellander -- Former Chemistry and Mathematics Coordinator, Save El Sobrante; Instructor, Swim Coach Licensed Medical Technician Richard S. Colman -- Founder and Owner Donald E. Lively -- Lafayette of a Biotechnology Company Taxpayers Association

Spokesman; Telecom Consultant

CCCCD PASSED A $120 MILLION BOND MEASURE JUST FOUR YEARS AGO. This new Measure A seeks another $286.5 Million in bonded indebtedness -- with advertised general purposes nearly identical to 2002's. Apparent payback cost (principal + interest) for both measures together would likely exceed $800 Million. NEW LOCAL TAXES, COMPENSATING FOR CCCCD'S BUILDING-MAINTENANCE NEGLECT, WOULD LEAVE MORE GENERAL-FUND DOLLARS FOR NEW RAISES. Taxpayers already provide generously for local community colleges, through state funding. But Measure A's new property taxes would facilitate CCCCD's continued overspending on salaries and benefits.

• CCCCD'S ENROLLMENTS ARE FLAT OR DECLINING. 2005-06 "Resident Full-Time Equivalent Students" are estimated at 1.6% fewer in number than in 2004-05.
• BUT CCCCD'S NUMEROUS ADMINISTRATORS REMAIN ESPECIALLY WELL COMPENSATED. At $218,700 in base salary alone, CCCCD's chancellor is paid considerably more than California's $175,000 limit for governors. CCCCD Presidents get up to $143,124; Vice Presidents, $129,888; Vice Chancellors, $129,660; Associate Chancellors, $117,456; Directors, $117,456; Deans, $111,792.... No wonder existing facilities have been neglected!
• HAD CCCCD COMPENSATION STRUCTURES NOT RACED PAST INFLATION AND ENROLLMENT DURING 1985 - 2005, THE DISTRICT WOULD HAVE MILLIONS MORE ANNUALLY FOR BUILDING UPKEEP.
• DESPITE CERTIFIED-MAIL ADVISEMENT THAT PUBLIC-MONEY CAMPAIGN FUNDING IS ILLEGAL, CCCCD spent thousands promoting its 1996 bond scheme. CCCCD LATER PAID A $16,000 FPPC FINE -- also using taxpayer funds -- for not reporting its impermissible campaign-finance expenditures. Other fiscal scandals followed.
• PER-PERSON FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL TAXES ALREADY CONSUME MORE THAN FOOD, CLOTHING, AND SHELTER COMBINED. Taxpayers must require more efficient use of existing tax dollars!

PLEASE JOIN US IN VOTING NO ON MEASURE A!

Alliance of Contra Costa Taxpayers Ken Hambrick, Chairman; Former Grand Jury Member Camden W. McConnell -- Chairman, Libertarian Party of Contra Costa County; Structural Engineer Moh Daoud -- Community College Instructor Art Ronat -- Financial Analyst, Major Oil Company, Retired; Former Grand Jury Member Elizabeth Arras -- Co-Founder, Citizens for Responsible Government; Former Editor, National Monitor of Education

Those who signed the argument against did not get answers before making uninformed and dated accusations. If they had, they would know:

• Enrollment has increased more than 7% over the past ten years and is projected to continue to grow over the next ten years. It would be irresponsible to plan for the future based on the small, year-to-year fluctuations, both up and down.

• Salaries for all employee categories have actually decreased over the past three years. The district is doing what taxpayer groups have demanded by funding pension liability and requiring employees to pay a bigger portion of health insurance.

• More than $2 million is spent annually maintaining Contra Costa, Diablo Valley, and Los Medanos colleges. Eighty percent of the buildings are more than 30-50 years old with more and more money going to maintain older buildings taking away dollars that could be going into student learning.

• Buildings must be upgraded to meet modern seismic and accessibility requirements and to address space constraints limiting programs such as nursing.
• The Contra Costa Community College District has been serving residents successfully for 57 years. When the voters passed the first and only other bond measure to begin modernizing, it was prudent to bond only what the district could build in five years.

Linda Best, President, Contra Costa Council Federal D. Glover, Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, District Five Warren E. Rupf, Sheriff, Contra Costa County J. E. Weir, President, Pleasant Hill Taxpayer's Association H. Abram Wilson, Mayor, City of San Ramon

An election will be held in the Contra Costa Community College District (the "District") on June 6, 2006, to authorize the sale of up to $286,500,000 in bonds of the District to finance community college facilities as described in the proposition. If the bonds are approved, the District expects to sell the bonds in series over time. 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 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 nine tenths cents per $100 ($9.00 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2007-08.
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 nine tenths cents per $100 ($9.00 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2013-14.
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 nine tenths cents per $100 ($9.00 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2007-08. Voters should note that the estimated tax rates are based on the ASSESSED VALUE of taxable property on the County's official tax rolls, not on the property's market value. Property owners should consult their own property tax bills to determine their property's assessed value and any applicable tax exemptions. The foregoing information is based upon the District's projections and estimates only. 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 bond sales, the amount of bonds sold and market interest rates at the time of each sale, and actual assessed valuations over the term of repayment of the bonds. 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, including the legal limitations on bonds approved by a 55% vote. 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 County Assessor in the annual assessment and the equalization process.

Dated: March 6, 2006. Helen Benjamin Chancellor Contra Costa Community College District

CONTRA COSTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACILITIES MODERNIZATION BOND OF 2006

This Proposition may be known and referred to as the "Contra Costa Community College Facilities Modernization Bond of 2006" or as "Measure A".

BOND AUTHORIZATION

By approval of this proposition by at least 55% of the registered voters voting on the proposition, the Contra Costa Community College District shall be authorized to issue and sell bonds of up to $286,500,000 in aggregate principal amount to provide financing for the specific facilities projects listed in the Bond Project List attached hereto as Exhibit A, subject to all of the accountability safeguards specified below. Proceeds from the sale of bonds authorized by this proposition shall be used only for the 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. Proceeds of the bonds may be used to pay or reimburse the District for the cost of District staff when performing work on or necessary or incidental to the bond projects.

ACCOUNTABILITY SAFEGUARDS

The provisions in this section are specifically included in this proposition in order that the Contra Costa Community College District's voters and taxpayers may be assured that their money will be spent wisely to address specific facilities needs of the Contra Costa Community College District, all in compliance with the requirements of Article XIII A, Section 1(b)(3) of the State Constitution, and the Strict Accountability in Local School Construction Bonds Act of 2000 (codified at Education Code Sections 15264 and following). Evaluation of Needs. The Governing Board has prepared an updated facilities plan in order to evaluate and address all of the facilities needs of the Contra Costa Community College District at each campus and facility, and to determine which projects to finance from a local bond at this time. The Governing Board hereby certifies that it has evaluated safety, class size reduction and information technology needs in developing the Bond Project List contained in Exhibit A. Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee. The Governing Board shall establish an independent Citizens' Oversight Committee (pursuant to Education Code Section 15278 and following), to ensure bond proceeds are spent only for the community college facilities projects listed in Exhibit A. The committee shall be established within 60 days of the date when the results of the election appear in the minutes of the Governing Board. Annual Performance Audits. The Governing Board shall conduct an annual, independent performance audit to ensure that the bond proceeds have been expended only on the community college facilities projects listed in Exhibit A. Annual Financial Audits. The Governing Board shall conduct an annual, independent financial audit of the bond proceeds until all of those proceeds have been spent for the community college facilities projects listed in Exhibit A. Special Bond Proceeds Account; Annual Report to Board. Upon approval of this proposition and the sale of any bonds approved, the Governing Board shall take actions necessary to establish an account in which proceeds of the sale of bonds will be deposited. As long as any proceeds of the bonds remain unexpended, the Chancellor of the District shall cause a report to be filed with the Board no later than December 31 of each year, commencing December 31, 2006, stating (1) the amount of bond proceeds received and expended in that year, and (2) the status of any project funded or to be funded from bond proceeds. The report may relate to the calendar year, fiscal year, or other appropriate annual period as the Chancellor shall determine, and may be incorporated into the annual budget, audit, or other appropriate routine report to the Board.

BOND PROJECT LIST

The Bond Project List attached to this resolution as Exhibit A shall be considered a part of this ballot proposition, and shall be reproduced in any official document required to contain the full statement of the bond proposition. The Bond Project List describes the specific projects the Contra Costa Community College District proposes to finance with proceeds of the bonds. Listed construction projects, repairs, rehabilitation projects and upgrades will be completed as needed at a particular District site according to District-established priorities. Bond program expenditures will include items such as costs of the election and bond issuance, architectural, engineering, inspection and similar planning costs, construction management (whether performed by the District or by third parties), annual financial and performance audits, a customary contingency for unforeseen design and construction costs, and other costs incidental to and necessary for completion of the listed projects. The final cost of each project will be determined as plans are finalized, construction bids are awarded, and projects are completed. Certain construction funds expected from non-bond sources, including State grant funds for eligible projects, have not yet been secured. Until all project costs and funding sources are known, the Chancellor cannot determine the amount of bond proceeds available to be spent on each project, nor guarantee that the bonds will provide sufficient funds to allow completion of all listed projects. Some projects may be subject to further government approvals by State officials and boards, and to local environmental review. For these reasons, inclusion of a project on the Bond Project List is not a guarantee that the project will be completed.

FURTHER SPECIFICATIONS

Specific Purposes. All of the purposes enumerated in this proposition shall be united and voted upon as one single proposition, pursuant to Education Code Section 15100, and shall constitute the specific purposes of the bonds, and proceeds of the bonds shall be spent only for such purposes, pursuant to Government Code Section 53410. Other Terms of the Bonds. When sold, the bonds shall bear interest at an annual rate not exceeding the statutory maximum, and that interest will be made payable at the time or times permitted by law. The bonds may be issued and sold in several series, and no bond shall be made to mature more than 25 years from the date borne by that bond.

EXHIBIT A

CONTRA COSTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT BOND PROJECT LIST ALL COLLEGES

• Replace and upgrade aging sewer, water and gas lines and make other infrastructure improvements as needed
• Make district classrooms, buildings and facilities accessible to those with disabilities and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• Renovate and, as needed, complete health and fitness facilities, including physical education classrooms, facilities and fields.
• Upgrade and improve the communications, network and wireless technology.
• Add solar power, conservation and sustainable energy systems where appropriate. CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE (San Pablo)
• Expand and improve the 34-year-old Nursing and Allied Medical Training Center in the Health Science Building.
• Remodel the 50-year-old Life & Physical Science Complex including the Biology Building and Physical Sciences Laboratories.
• Create additional mathematics, tutoring and speech facilities by moving the Culinary Arts Department from the Applied Arts Building to the Student Activities Building, and complete the necessary renovation of each building.
• Complete the renovation of the Music and Digital Recording Facility.
• Address the seismic safety of the Humanities Building and Fine Arts/Multimedia Facility which may involve demolition and reconstruction or renovation.

• Remodel the 35-year-old Engineering and Technology Building
• Construct a new Student Success Center Facility, which will involve the demolition of the 50-year-old Business Education Building.
• Reconstruct the 50-year-old Hotel and Restaurant Management/ Student Center Facilities. LOS MEDANOS COLLEGE (Pittsburg)
• Expand and improve the Nursing and Medical Training classrooms and labs.
• Complete the renovation of the Student Services Area of the College Complex.
• Construct pedestrian and vehicular access to the Math, Science and Library Quad area to improve student access and safety. REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL CENTERS
• Create a lab, classroom and other relevant science teaching facilities for the Delta Science Center.
• Construct permanent classrooms and other educational facilities to develop the Brentwood Center on land donated to the District.
• Acquire land and/or buildings to expand educational facilities and opportunities in Walnut Creek.
• Construct a library at the San Ramon Valley Center and continue Phase II construction. Incidental Work Authorized At All Sites (at which Renovation, Major Repairs and/or New Construction to be Completed)