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Smart Voter
Riverside County, CA June 5, 2012 Election
Measure M
School Improvement Bonds
Jurupa Unified School District

55% Approval Required

Fail: 3,703 / 52.03% Yes votes ...... 3,414 / 47.97% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Results as of June 22 8:47am, 100.00%% of Precincts Reporting (28/28)
Information shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments | Tax Rate Statement |

Without increasing tax rates, to provide quality education, improve safety, and train students for today's jobs, shall Jurupa Unified School District repair aging, leaky roofs, remove asbestos; improve fire safety/security; improve career training technology/facilities/equipment; upgrade classrooms/science laboratories/libraries technology for 21st-Century skills,; ensure safe, adequate student restrooms; renovate or repair elementary , middle and high school facilities by issuing $125 million in bonds at legal rates with independent oversight and all funds used locally?

Impartial Analysis from Sunshine S. Sykes, Deputy County Counsel
The Board of Education ("Board") of the Jurupa Unified School District ("District") by adopting Resolution No. 2012/24, elected to call an election pursuant to Section 18 of Article XVI and Section 1 of Article XIII A of the California Constitution and Section 15266 et seq. of the Education Code to obtain authorization to issue and sell general obligations bonds ("Bonds") in the aggregate principal amount of $125,000,000.

The Bonds would be used by the District to upgrade instructional technology, improve facilities and equipment for career and technical education classes, improve energy efficiency, improve fire safety and security, and renovate or repair elementary, middle, and high school facilities. The Bonds would not be used to increase salaries, benefits, or pensions for administrators, teachers, or any other school employees.

The Bonds would bear interest at an annual rate not to exceed the legal maximum payable. The Bonds could be sold in several series and would mature no later than forty (40) years following their issuance.

Voters previously approved a local school bond measure at a regularly scheduled election held in the District on November 1, 2001 ("Prior Authorization"). This Prior Authorization allowed an ad valorem tax to be levied and collected on property within the boundaries of the District to pay the principal and interest on those bonds. This current Measure would be an extension of the Prior Authorization and would result in no increase in tax rates to property owners in the District.

For this Measure to be approved fifty-five percent (55%) of qualified voters who vote on the Measure must vote yes.

A "YES" vote on Measure "M" is a vote to allow the District to sell the Bonds and extend the Prior Authorization taxes to pay for the Bonds.

A "NO" vote on Measure "M" is a vote against allowing the District to sell the Bonds and to extend the Prior Authorization taxes to pay for the Bonds.

 
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Arguments For Measure M Arguments Against Measure M
Vote YES on "M" to repair Jurupa elementary, middle and high schools, improve education, and prepare local students for today's highly-competitive job market + WITHOUT raising taxes.

Jurupa students' academic achievement has been steadily rising, thanks to great educators and smart, tough decision-making during a time of tight budgets.

Today, we must update classrooms, labs and instructional technology to prepare Jurupa students for college and good-paying jobs. Also, we must fix aging, leaky roofs, remove asbestos from old schools and address other urgent safety and repair needs.

If we don't pass Measure "M" today, these problems will get worse + and more expensive to fix.

Measure "M" will not raise taxes + it simply extends existing voter approval for local school repair funding.

Vote YES on "M" to:

  • Upgrade classrooms, science labs and technology to prepare students for college and good careers
  • Repair leaky and aging roofs, remove asbestos, replace old and inefficient water systems and repair rundown bathrooms
  • Ensure all students have access to instructional technology, labs and libraries that meet 21st-Century learning standards
  • Improve security and safety in every school
  • Install, repair and upgrade fire safety equipment
  • Improve access for disabled students Measure "M" has tough accountability requirements to protect taxpayers:
  • All funds will be used to repair and improve Jurupa schools+not one penny can be taken by state government, and Sacramento politicians will have no say in how these funds are used.
  • Annual financial audit and independent citizen oversight will ensure funds are used as promised.

Measure "M" will not raise taxes.

Measure "M" will raise $125 million in local funds + with local control + for necessary repairs to Jurupa schools, and upgrades to prepare our students for college and good-paying jobs. Vote YES on "M" for Jurupa schools! http://www.prepareJurupastudents.org

Carl E. Harris,
Jurupa Unified School Board Trustee, Businessman

David H. Barnes,
Publisher / Editor, Riverside Co. Record

Edward E. Hawkins,
Former Independent Oversight Committee Chairman

Donald Galleano,
President Galleano Winery

Sheryl Schmidt,
President, Jurupa Unified School District School Board, Teacher

Rebuttal to Arguments For
The "no new taxes argument" isn't true. The $125 million will be paid back with money collected from Jurupa taxpayers for 40 YEARS!

Shame on the District for lying to the citizens of Jurupa Valley!

Look at what the District wants to spend our money on. Things like "asbestos" "leaky roofs" and "fire safety equipment" are all designed to scare voters into voting for this bond measure. Then they dangle "technology for the kids" because we all want the best for our children.

But the reality is this: If we pass this bond measure our children will still be paying for it when they are adults. Is that what is best for our children?

Another important issue to consider is that everything the District says they want to buy will be worn out, broken, or out dated decades before this bond issue is paid off with our tax dollars. Bond money should not be used as a credit line to pay for short term needs. Bond money should be used to build permanent infrastructure or buildings, not pay for computers or sprinklers. It is not good financial practice to pay for something for 40 years that will be worn out or outdated in five or ten years.

We all want the best for our children. But do we want our children to be paying for this bond when they have children? It just doesn't make good financial sense in these hard economic times.

Robert H Bier

EVER-RISING TAXES MUST STOP, "NO" ON MEASURE "M"

Jurupa unified school district's lack of fiscal responsibility makes it VERY hard to support any additional Bond Measure the school District may again try to squeeze by a minority of the Jurupa Valley Voters.

No on Measure "M", Jurupa Unified School District General Obligation Bond in the amount of $125 Million Dollars. The bond heading states without increasing Tax Rates. True, but more so false. In 2001 Jurupa unified school District squeezed a Fifty Million Dollar Bond by the Local Jurupa Valley Taxpayers. That Fifty Million Dollar Measure C Bond was matched, by the State of California with an additional Fifty Million Dollars to make the total ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS. Cost to every Homeowner in the Jurupa Valley City Limits $43.35 Dollars added to every home owners property tax, per every $100,000.00 of Assessed, Full Value, of your property for the next TWENTY FIVE YEARS, BY ADDING THIS LATEST ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE MILLION DOLLAR BOND TO THE 2001 BOND AND EXTENDING THE TERM LIMIT FROM 25-YEARS TO FORTY-YEARS, ADDS YEARS NOT DOLLARS TO YOUR PROPERTY TAX, DISCOURAGING ANY FUTURE BUYER OF YOUR PROPERTY IN HAVING TO PAY ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX BY-PASSING PROP 13. The 2001 Bond was To do exactly and more than the 2012 Jurupa Unified School District Measure "M" bond is allegedly designed to do. One Hundred Million Dollars, which was to be used to Build New Schools, Refurbish and re-roof older schools.

ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS BUILT ONE HIGH SCHOOL COMPETED approximately FIFTY PERCENT OF THE REFURBISHING AND RE-ROOFING. BUT IT DID ADD TWO AND ONE HALF MILLION DOLLARS TO THE JURUPA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT GENERAL FUNDS, which allows unaccountable spending limitations.

Robert H. Bier

Rebuttal to Arguments Against
We respectfully disagree with our opponent. Jurupa Unified School District has done a terrific job with past, voter-approved funding. Projects have been completed as-promised, on-time and on-budget.

We're pleased to join with former Chairs of the Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee (Dr. Ed Hawkins and Dave Barnes in asking you to vote Yes on Measure "M" to repair aging Jurupa schools, and prepare local students with the skills for an increasingly competitive job market.

The Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee was responsible for providing outside accountability over the school district's past bond spending. Independent, public audits were performed each year.

Volunteer committee members monitored projects very closely. Their support of Measure "M" is testimony to the sound fiscal management of our local school district. In fact, Jurupa taxpayers have saved money on the past bond, which has cost nearly 20% less annually that initially projected.

Measure "M" will not increase taxes, as our opponent acknowledges.

Measure "M" will upgrade science labs, classrooms and instructional technology to ensure Jurupa students have the skills they need for college and careers in the 21st Century.

Measure "M" will fix leaky, aging roofs, remove asbestos, and make other essential repairs to aging classrooms and schools.

Measure "M" will improve student safety and security at every school.

Measure "M" will raise $125 million for local school repairs and upgrades: vital funds that can't be taken by State government.

Please join us, along with thousands of our Jurupa Valley neighbors, and vote YES on "M" for our students.

Luz Méndez, Former Teacher and Principal

Robert Garcia, Parent

Benita B. Roberts, Former Superintendent

Ron Robinson, Businessman

Linda Thompson, Parent, Grandmother, Community Organizer

Tax Rate Statement from Elliot Duchon, Superintendent Jurupa Unified School District
As shown on the enclosed official ballot, an election is being held in the Jurupa Unified School District ("District") on June 5, 2012, for the purpose of submitting to the registered voters within the District the question of whether the District shall issue and sell bonds in an amount not to exceed $125,000,000 for the purpose of providing funds for the specified school facilities and school projects as set forth in the resolution of the District calling such bond election. This measure will authorize a tax sufficient for interest on, and redemption of, the bonds. The bonds shall bear interest at a rate, or rates to be established at such time as the bonds are sold, in one or more series, at fixed or variable interest rates not to exceed the maximum applicable statutory rate for such bonds. If such bonds are authorized and sold, the principal thereof and the interest thereon are a general obligation of the District, payable from the proceeds of ad valorem taxes on taxable real property located within the District.

Voters previously approved a local school bond measure at a regularly scheduled election held in the District on November 6, 2001 ("Prior Authorization"). A total tax rate of $0.06000 per $100 ($60.00 per $100,000) of assessed valuation was authorized under the Prior Authorization, which is expected to end in tax year 2027-2028. Measure "M", if approved by voters on June 5, 2012, would be an extension of the Prior Authorization and would result in no increase in tax rates to property owners in the District. The best estimate of the combined tax rate which would be required to be levied to fund the bond issues during the term of the bond issues, based on estimated assessed valuations available at the time of filing of this statement or a projection based on experience within the same jurisdiction or other demonstrable factors, is $0.06000 per $100 ($60.00 per $100,000) of assessed valuation.

The following information is submitted in compliance with California Elections Code Sections 9401 through 9404 based on estimates of assessed valuations available at the time of filing of this statement:

(a) 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 the bonds based on estimated assessed valuations available at the time of filing of this statement or a projection based on experience within the same jurisdiction or other demonstrable factors is $0.00900 per $100 ($9.00 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2013-2014.

(b) It is anticipated that the bonds will be sold in more than one series. The best estimate of the tax rate which would be required to be levied to fund such bond issues during the first fiscal year after the last sale of the bonds based on estimated assessed valuations available at the time of filing of this statement or a projection based on experience within the same jurisdiction or other demonstrable factors is $0.06000 per $100 ($60.00 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2022-2023.

(c) The best estimate of the highest tax rate which would be required to be levied to fund the bond issues during the term of the bond issues, based on estimated assessed valuations available at the time of filing of this statement or a projection based on experience within the same jurisdiction or other demonstrable factors, is $0.06000 per $100 ($60.00 per $100,000) of assessed valuation. It is estimated that the highest tax rate would apply in the 2031-2032 tax year based on assessed valuations available at the time of this filing 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 Riverside 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. Actual future assessed valuation will depend upon the amount and value of taxable property within the District as determined by the Riverside County Assessor in the annual assessment and the equalization process. Property owners should consult their own property tax bills and/or the applicable county assessor and/or 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 assumptions and 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, market interest rates at the time of each sale of bonds and actual assessed valuations over the term of repayment of the bonds. 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, 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 such sale.


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Created: July 26, 2012 13:01 PDT
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