Pass: 9742 / 58.51% Yes votes ...... 6907 / 41.49% No votes

See Also: Index of all Propositions

Meaning of Voting Yes/No

A YES vote on this measure means:

A "yes" vote is a vote in favor of authorizing the Santee School District to issue and sell $60,000,000 in general obligation bonds.

A NO vote on this measure means:

A "no" vote is a vote against authorizing the Santee School District to issue and sell $60,000,000 in general obligation bonds.

Proceeds from the sale of bonds authorized by this proposition may be used by the School District only for the construction, reconstruction and/or rehabilitation of its school facilities, including the furnishing and equipping of its school facilities, acquisition, or lease of real property for its school facilities and construction management by School District personnel.

The interest rate on any bond, which is established at the time of bond issuance, cannot exceed 12% per annum. The final maturity date of any bond could be no later than 25 years after the date of bonds issued pursuant to the Education Code or not later than 40 years after the date of bonds issued pursuant to the Government Code. Principal and interest on the bonds would be paid by revenue derived from an annual tax levied upon the taxable property within the School District in an amount sufficient to pay the interest as it becomes due and to provide a fund for payment of the principal on or before maturity.

Article XIII A of the California Constitution exempts from the one percent property tax rate limitation ad valorem taxes to pay the interest and redemption charges on any bonded indebtedness for the acquisition or improvement of real property, including the furnishing and equipping of school facilities, when approved by 55% of the voters if: (a) the proceeds from the sale of the bonds are used only for the purposes specified, (b) the School District, by evaluating safety, class size reduction, and information technology, has approved a list of specific projects to be funded, (c) the School District will conduct an annual, independent performance audit, and (d) the School District will conduct an annual, independent financial audit. If a bond measure is approved by 55% of the voters, state law requires the governing board of the District to establish an independent citizens' oversight committee. The School District has made this ballot proposition subject to these requirements.

Approval of this proposition does not guarantee that the proposed projects in the School District that are the subject of these bonds will be funded beyond the local revenues generated by this proposition.

Santee Elementary School District

Proposition R will provide modern facilities that will greatly enhance the overall quality of learning and lay the foundation our students need for success in high school, college and beyond. Prop. R will achieve this goal while protecting taxpayers.

Santee School District is recognized by the State as a top-performing district. However, our teachers, administrators, parents, and students can't maintain this level of academic excellence in facilities with aging infrastructure, safety hazards, and outdated technology. The district has not received any new local bond revenues since 1962.

We're asking for your help to provide an optimal learning environment for all our students. This $60 million bond will be only one part of a comprehensive package to finance drastically needed improvements. If Prop. R passes, the District can take advantage of state matching funds not otherwise available. The balance of the funds will come from non-taxpayer sources.

Proposition R will:

• Revitalize and expand media centers, computer and science labs,
• Renovate playgrounds and athletic fields for school and community use, and
• Rehabilitate classrooms. Prop. R will result in improved property values for all Santee residents. Prop. R contains important taxpayer protections:
• Independent citizen's oversight committee to assure proper expenditure of all bond funds.
• Annual financial audits and performance audits using independent auditors for all bond funds.
• Prevents bond funds from being used for teacher or administrator salaries or operating expenses. For the past 50 years, Santee School District's K-8 facilities have served our students and community well. Now we need Prop. R to revitalize, renovate, and rehabilitate our schools for the future. Please vote YES on Proposition R!

BARBARA RYAN
President
Santee Board of Education
ROB McNELIS
President
East County Association of Realtors
JIM MONTAGUE
Vice President
County Mobilehome Owners' Positive Action Committee
ELANA LEVENS-CRAIG
President
PTA Council
GENE CHUBB
Owner, RCP Block and Brick
Santee Employer and Business Leader

• This year, education spending jumped dramatically. State Senator Bill Morrow reports that total federal, state and local spending on California K-12 public education now exceeds $11,000 per student. This amount is considerably higher than the average private school tuition. The last thing we should be considering is paying even higher taxes for education.

• The Santee district's share of standard property tax revenue has zoomed upward. It has risen about 40% in just the last six years. It is growing FAR faster than population and inflation combined. Yet the district says we need to pay even HIGHER property taxes! No, we don't.

• Ask yourself this question: If the district really needs these bonds, why can't they issue them now, making the bond payments out of the existing tax revenue sources? After all, private schools, which on average charge considerably less than $11,000 tuition, fund their capital costs out of their budgets without raising taxes. Can't public schools, which have much more money, do the same?

• District bureaucrats seeking higher taxes always point to buildings that are in disrepair or unsafe. It's a standard pitch. We give them tons of tax money, and they can't maintain our schools. Their solution? Give `em even MORE money. What does that teach our kids about accountability?

• Education is critically important. But paying higher taxes for school bonds is not the answer. Vote NO! on Prop R.

• Apparently politicians believe that money DOES grow on trees. Why else would we see over forty BILLION dollars' worth of state bonds on the ballot? Plus two major statewide tax increases and a massive oil "fee" increase?

• In San Diego County, we have no less than 6 bond measures totaling over 3 BILLION dollars + all of which involve tax increases.

• You'd think that there's a shortage of revenue + that somehow we taxpayers are not paying our "fair share." But the truth is that government revenue streams are growing nicely WITHOUT new taxes being levied or raised. Compared to other states, our state and local taxes are quite high already.

• It's become a cliche, but it is still true + we don't have a revenue problem; we have a spending problem!

• That being said, do we need to spend more money on education + issuing school bonds? No!

• Over 90% of private schools in San Diego County charge less tuition than what we taxpayers are now spending on public school students. Usually a LOT less + often more than 60% less than public schooling's total costs.

• Yet these private schools obviously do a good job. Otherwise the parents wouldn't be paying for private education that their kids could get free at government schools.

• The LAST thing we need to do is throw more money into public schools. It's time for bureaucrats to better utilize the money that we ALREADY spend on education.

If you think that your taxes are already too high, or just feel that taxes are high enough, you should vote NO.

Please vote NO! on Prop R.

For more information, contact Steve Green SteveGreen@EconomyTelcom.com (619) 562-8705

STEVEN L. GREEN
Former Chairperson
San Diego Libertarian Party
MICHAEL BENOIT
Vice-Chair
San Diego Libertarian Party
ROBERT D. HILD
I.T. Manager
RICHARD RIDER
Chair, San Diego Tax Fighters

Prop. R was carefully designed by Santee business owners, property owners, parents, and educational professionals to provide the best facilities possible at the smallest cost to local taxpayers.

Prop. R contains important taxpayer protections to insure local tax dollars are appropriately spent.

The people urging you not to support Prop. R are outsiders who do not have a direct interest in what is best for our kids or our community. Their children and grandchildren do not attend Santee schools, and they have never used our aging facilities with outdated technology.

Opponents of Prop. R do not care about the improved property values or the overall benefits and improvement to the quality of life that a top-rated school district will bring to our community, because they do not have a stake in Santee's future.

We as Santee voters should determine what is best for our city, not an outside special interest group with their own statewide agenda.

Please join us in supporting Prop. R to revitalize, renovate, and rehabilitate our district facilities to create an optimal learning environment for all our students and to benefit everyone in Santee.

PHIL HERRINGTON
Senior Pastor
Pathways Community Church
KEN FOX
Vice President
Santee Sports Council
DIANNE EL-HAJJ
Member
Santee School Board
KAREN FLECK
Former President
PTA Council
DEE SMICKLE
Mobile Home Park Resident

(a) The best estimate from official sources 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 the bonds based on assessed valuations available at the time of the election or a projection based on experience within the same jurisdiction or other demonstrable factors is 2.998 cents per $100 ($29.98 per $100,000) of assessed valuation.

(b) It is anticipated that the bonds will be sold in series. The best estimate from official sources of the tax rate which would be required to be levied to fund the bond issue during the first fiscal year after the last sale of the bonds is 2.995 cents per $100 ($29.95 per 100,000) of assessed valuation.

(c) The best estimate from official sources of the highest tax rate which would be required to be levied to fund the bond issue during the term of the bond issue, based on assessed valuations available at the time of the election or a projection based on experience within the same jurisdiction or other demonstrable factors, is 3.000 cents per $100 ($30.00 per $100,000) of assessed valuation. It is estimated that the highest tax rate would apply in the 2012-2013 tax year based on assessed valuations available at the time of the election or a projection based on experience within the same jurisdiction or other demonstrable factors.

Voters should note that these estimated tax rates are based on the assessed value of taxable property within the District as shown on the official rolls of San Diego County, not on the property's market value. In addition, taxpayers eligible for a property tax exemption, such as the homeowner's exemption, will be taxed at, a lower effective rate than described above. Certain taxpayers may also be eligible to postpone the payment of taxes. Property owners should consult their own property tax bills and tax advisors to determine their property's assessed value and any applicable tax exemptions.

Attention of all voters is directed to the fact that these estimates are based on projections derived from information obtained from official sources. The actual tax rates and the years in which they will apply may vary depending on the timing of any bond sales, the amount of bonds sold and actual increases in assessed valuations. The timing of the bond sales and the amount of bonds sold at any given time will be governed by the needs of the District. Actual future assessed valuation will depend upon the amount and value of taxable property within the District as determined by the San Diego County Assessor in the annual assessment and the equalization process.

Dated: July 18, 2006

DR. LIS JOHNSON Superintendent, Santee School District