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Smart Voter
San Diego County, CA June 5, 2012 Election
Proposition H
Bonds
Alpine Union School District

55% Approval Required

Fail: 1,933 / 42.7% Yes votes ...... 2,592 / 57.3% No votes

See Also: Index of all Propositions

Information shown below: Yes/No Meaning | Impartial Analysis | Arguments | Tax Rate Statement |

To protect student safety and quality education with funding that cannot be taken by the State, shall the Alpine Union Elementary School District upgrade, construct, equip, acquire classrooms, sites, school facilities to meet current earthquake and safety codes, update instructional technology, support core academic programs/teachers by eliminating debt, make classrooms accessible for students with disabilities by issuing $11,995,000 in bonds at legal rates, with independent oversight, no money for administrators, and all funds spent on Alpine area schools?

Meaning of Voting Yes/No
A YES vote on this measure means:
A "YES" vote is a vote in favor of authorizing the District to issue and sell $11,995,000 in general obligation bonds.

A NO vote on this measure means:
A "NO" vote is a vote against authorizing the District to issue and sell $11,995,000 in general obligation bonds.

Impartial Analysis from County Counsel
This proposition, if approved by 55% of the votes cast on the proposition, will authorize the Alpine Union School District ("District") to issue and sell $11,995,000 in general obligation bonds. The sale of these bonds by the District is for the purpose of raising money for the District, and represents a debt of the District. In exchange for the money received from the holders, the District promises to pay the holder of the bonds an amount of interest for a certain period of time, and to repay the bonds on the expiration date.

Voter approval of this measure also will authorize an annual tax to be levied upon the taxable property within the District. The purpose of this tax is to generate revenue to pay the principal and interest on the bonds 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.

Proceeds from the sale of bonds authorized by this proposition may be used by the District 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.

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 or 40 years after the date the bonds are issued as determined by the District.

The tax authorized by this proposition is consistent with the requirements of the California Constitution. The California Constitution permits property taxes, above the standard one percent (1%) limitation, to be levied upon real property 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:

  1. the proceeds from the sale of the bonds are used only for the purposes specified,
  2. the District, by evaluating safety, class size reduction, and information technology, has approved a list of specific projects to be funded,
  3. the District will conduct an annual, independent performance audit, and
  4. the District will conduct an annual, independent financial audit.

If a bond measure is approved, state law requires the District to establish an independent citizens' oversight committee. The District has made this ballot proposition subject to these requirements.

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

  News and Analysis

East County Magazine

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Arguments For Proposition H Arguments Against Proposition H
Vote YES on H to keep our local Alpine schools among the best in East County.

Every penny from Prop H will stay in Alpine to benefit Alpine students.

All funds from the Prop H are locally controlled and cannot be taken away by the State or other school districts.

An independent citizens' oversight committee and mandatory annual audits will ensure that funds are spent as promised.

No Prop H funds can be used to increase salaries, benefits or pensions for administrators, teachers or any other school employee.

Alpine Union School District is 100% locally controlled in Alpine and operates Alpine Elementary School, Boulder Oaks Elementary School, Creekside Early Learning Center, Joan MacQueen Middle School, Mountain View Learning Academy, Alpine Community Day School and Shadow Hills Elementary School.

We simply cannot rely on Sacramento to provide the support Alpine schools and students need and deserve.

Prop H will:

  • Protect student safety in the event of a fire, earthquake or other emergencies
  • Ensure all schools are accessible for students with disabilities
  • Attract and retain qualified teachers
  • Protect quality core academic instruction in math, science, reading and writing
  • Refinance school facility loans to take advantage of historically low interest rates and get a better deal for taxpayers
  • Improve energy and operational efficiency of schools
  • Update classroom computers and instructional technology

Without Prop H Alpine schools will suffer more than $500,000 in ongoing annual cuts in addition to anticipated state funding reductions. These cuts would have a devastating impact on Alpine students, teachers and the quality of education in our community.

The typical homeowner will pay less than $4 per month and the cost is entirely tax deductible.

Good schools make our neighborhoods more desirable and protect the value of our homes.

Please vote YES on H

DOUGLAS G. BENSON SR.
Concerned Resident for
43 years in Alpine
SHARON HAVEN
Executive Director Alpine
Education Foundation
PATRICIA A. CANNON
President/CEO Alpine
Mountain Empire Chamber
of Commerce
DEBORAH LYNN CAGNEY
PTA President Alpine Elementary School
MATTHEW D. KRAEMER
Parent/Business Owner

Rebuttal to Arguments For
Prop H proponents minimize the impact of this tax increase on you, the taxpayer, and grossly exaggerate its potential benefits. They fail to acknowledge how much you already pay, and they fail to mention the likelihood they will be coming back to you for MORE money.

Prop H uses taxpayers as the piggybank to pay for maintenance the District doesn't want to be responsible for. And they want you to pay for it with interest over the next 30 years. Long-term bonds are not the way to finance regular, ongoing maintenance of schools.

When your kids are grown up, they could be paying for the carpet that was installed when they were in school!

HALF of the tax increase will pay for projects that have already been built. Do you think it is right to have your taxes increased to pay for these projects after they're completed?

School district officials must learn to live within their means, just like the rest of us.

The Association is supporting other school bonds for districts in the region that were capable of demonstrating responsible planning and use of bond proceeds. Alpine Union School District failed to meet the Taxpayers Association endorsement criteria.

There are several school districts within San Diego County that have failed to keep their promises to voters. Don't let Alpine become the next victim.

VOTE NO ON PROPOSITION H.

Visit http://www.sdcta.org for a complete list of ballot recommendations by the San Diego County Taxpayers Association.

SEAN KARAFIN
Economic Policy Analyst,
San Diego County, Taxpayers Assoc.
CHUCK TAYLOR
Former Alpine School District
Board Member
RICHARD RIDER
Taxpayer Activist
RUSSELL BICKLEY
Retired Teacher
RONALD NEHRING
District resident and former High School Board Member

No on Prop H, a potential $41 million property tax increase, over the life of the bond.

The District's claims regarding the use of the funds should be carefully scrutinized.

By law, the money from the tax increase cannot be spent on teachers or core academic programs.

Nearly half of the bond funds will go to repay a solar project that has already been completed. Prop H will result in additional debt to pay for these already completed projects.

School district officials want to use the taxpayer as a credit card to pay for regular maintenance work with decades-long financing when you already pay your fair share.

If this tax increase is approved, your children will continue to pay for debt on routine maintenance work that should be paid for out of the general fund, not with new taxes! If this measure passes, it's likely that the district will soon be asking for yet another tax increase, because this is an unsustainable way to maintain district facilities.

School district officials must learn to live within their means.

The San Diego County Taxpayers Association has carefully analyzed this proposal and recommends OPPOSITION. The District has failed to demonstrate appropriate planning for the proposed bond program, and the use of funds is fiscally irresponsible.

VOTE NO ON PROPOSITION H.

Visit http://www.sdcta.org to review the detailed analysis of Prop H by the San Diego County Taxpayers Association, as well as their recommendations on other local and state ballot measures.

RICHARD RIDER
Taxpayer Activist
LANI LUTAR
President/CEO, San Diego County
Taxpayers Association
RUSSELL BUCKLEY
East County Taxhawks
BUONO JOHN GHIANNI
Retired business owner

Rebuttal to Arguments Against
Here are the facts on Prop H:

  • Alpine Union School District has utilized Federal incentives for school energy projects that reduce operating costs and increase efficiency.
  • Prop. H allows Alpine schools to refinance school facility loans to take advantage of historically low interest rates and get a better deal for taxpayers.
  • The savings will be used to prevent more than $500,000 in ongoing annual cuts that would have a devastating impact on Alpine students, teachers and the quality of education in our schools.
  • The savings and efficiencies achieved through Prop. H will attract and retain qualified teachers and protect quality core academic instruction in math, science, reading and writing.
  • Prop. H will keep Alpine schools safe in a fire or earthquake and accessible for students with disabilities.
  • Every penny from Prop H is 100% locally controlled and will stay in Alpine to benefit Alpine students.
  • No funds can be taken away by the State or other school districts (including Grossmont Union High School District).
  • An independent citizens' oversight committee and mandatory annual audits will ensure funds are spent as promised.
  • No funds can be used to increase salaries, benefits or pensions for administrators, teachers or any other school employee.
  • The typical homeowner will pay less than $4 per month and the cost is entirely tax deductible.
  • Good schools protect the value of our homes.

Alpine's most respected leaders urge you to vote Yes on H to keep our local Alpine schools among the best in East County.

THOMAS (JERRY) PRICE
Past President Knights of Columbus
GINA C. HENKE
Alpine School Board President
COLIN L. CAMPBELL II
Alpine Education Foundation President
ELIZABETH H. PFOHL
Teacher of the Year
MARK A. GRANT
Parent/TV Personality

Tax Rate Statement
To: The voters voting in the June 5, 2012 election on the question of the issuance of $11,995,000 General Obligation Bonds of the Alpine Union School District.

You are hereby notified in accordance with Section 9401 of the Elections Code of the State of California of the following:

  1. The best estimate from official sources of the tax rate which would be required to be levied to fund principal and interest payments during the first fiscal year after the first sale of bonds (Fiscal Year 2012-2013), based on assessed valuations available at the time of the election and taking into account estimated future growth, is the following:

    $.01400 per $100 of assessed valuation, which equates to $14.00 per $100,000.

  2. The best estimate from official sources of the tax rate which would be required to be levied to fund principal and interest payments during the first fiscal year after the last sale of bonds and an estimate of the year in which that rate will apply, based on assessed valuations available at the time of the election and taking into account estimated future growth, is as follows:

    $.01400 per $100 of assessed valuation, which equates to $14.00 per $100,000.

    First fiscal year after last sale of bonds: 2022-2023

  3. The best estimate from official sources of the highest tax rate which would be required to be levied to fund principal and interest payments on the bonds and an estimate of the year in which that rate will apply, based on assessed valuations available at the time of the election and taking into account estimated future growth, is as follows:

    $.01400 per $100 of assessed valuation, which equates to $14.00 per $100,000.

    Year of highest tax rate: Tax is projected to be the same every year.

The attention of all voters is directed to the fact that the foregoing information is based upon 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 date of sale and the amount of bonds sold at any given time will be determined by the District based on its need for construction funds and other factors. The actual interest rates at which the bonds will be sold will depend on the bond market at the time of sale. Actual future assessed valuations 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. Accordingly, the actual tax rates and the years in which such rates are applicable may vary from those presently estimated as above stated.

Submittal of the foregoing statement has been approved by the Alpine Union School District.


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Created: July 26, 2012 13:01 PDT
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