Acton Agua Dulce Unified School District FULL TEXT ()F BALLOT MEASURE CF EXHIBIT A
EXHIBIT A-I BOND PROJECT
LIST
STATEMENT IN COMPLIANCE· MEASURE CF
IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS OF MEASURE CF
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF MEASURE CF
REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF MEASURE CF
ARGUMENT AGAINST MEASURE CF
REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT AGAINST MEASURE CF
This proposiuon may be known and referred to as the Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District 2008 School Improvement Bond or Measure "CF"
FINDINGS
The Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District is comprised of three elementary schools, a junior high school, and a high school and services approximately 1,897 students. In 1993, the District unified and established Vasquez High School. The District has gathered community input to make sure the proposed bond program makes sense, and has a clear plan to improve Vasquez High School. Over the past year, the District has worked with the community and undergone a careful planning process to address school facilities needs. Improving our high school to ensure adequate facilities benefits everyone. It is less expensive to build the proposed facilities now than in the future when they will only cost us more money. The planning process has included meetings throughout the community, as well as special board meetings with the Acton and Agua Dulce Town Councils.
We need to replace portable facilities with permanent classrooms and support facilities at Vasquez High School. With the addition of the school facilities constructed from this bond the school district may be able to share some of the facilities with the community.
The District will continue to utilize all available revenue options available, including Developer Fees. However, Developer Fees alone are insufficient to fund the required improvements. The General Fund is budgeted in large part on annual funds from the State to cover the many ongoing costs of running a school district including instruction and teacher salaries. The funds available do not account for needs including school repair and construction. State law prohibits the use of lottery funds for the repair or construction of school facilities. A school bond would enable the District to address these needs.
BOND AUTHORIZATION
By approval of this proposition by at least 55 percent of the registered voters voting on the proposition, the District shall be authorized to issue and sell bonds of up to $13,000,000 in principal at interest rates below the legal limit, to provide financing for the specific high school facilities projects listed in the Bond Project List attached hereto as Exhibit A-I, subject to all the accountability requirements specified below.
The Bond Project List attached to this resolution as Exhibit A-I shall be considered a part of the ballot proposition and shall be reproduced in any official document required to contain the full statement of the bond proposition.
Approval of this Bond Measure (the "Measure") does not guarantee that the proposed project or projects in the District that are the subject of bonds under the Measure will be funded beyond the local revenues generated by the Measure. If state matching funds become available, they will be used for and applied to the Bond Project List as per Exhibit A-I. The District's proposal for the project or projects assumes the receipt of matching state funds, which could be subject to appropriation by the Legislature or approval of a statewide bond measure.
ACCOUNTABILITY REQUIREMENTS
The provisions in this section are specifically included in this proposition in order that the voters and taxpayers in the District may be assured that their money will be spent wisely to address specific high school facilities needs of the District all in compliance with the requirements of Article XIIIA, Section l(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 Board, after a year long process involving staff members, parents, students, and community members at each school site throughout the District, has prepared an updated facilities plan in order to evaluate and address all of the facilities needs of the District and determine which projects to finance from a local bond at this time. The Board hereby certifies that it has evaluated safety, class size reduction, enrollment growth, and information technology needs in developing the Bond Project List contained in Exhibit A-I.
Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee. The Board shall establish an Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee pursuant to Education Code Section 15278 and following to ensure bond proceeds are expended only on the high school facilities projects listed in Exhibit A-I. The committee shall be established within 60 days of the date when the results of the election appear in the minutes of the Board.
Performance Audits. The Board shall conduct an annual, independent performance audit to ensure that the bond proceeds have been expanded only on the school facilities projects listed in Exhibit A-I.
Financial Audits. The Board shall conduct an annual, independent financial audit of the bond proceeds untill all of those proceeds have been spent for the high school facilities projects listed in Exhibit A-I.
Special Bond Proceeds Account: Annual Report to Board. Upon approval of this proposition and the sale of any bonds approved, the 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 Superintendent of the District shall cause a report to be filed with the Board annually, 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 Superintendent shall determine and may be incorporated in the annual budget, audit, or another appropriate routine report to the Board.
FURTHER SPECIFICATIONS
No Administrator Salaries. Proceeds from the sale of bonds authorized by this proposition shall be used only for the construction, reconstruction and/or rehabilitation of school facilities including the furnishing and equipping of school facilities or acquisition or lease of real property for school facilities and construction management by district personnel and not for any other purpose, including teacher and administrator salaries and other school operating expenses.
The proceeds of the bonds will be deposited into a Building Fund to be held by the Los Angeles County Treasurer, as required by the California Education Code. Back to index
Vasquez High School:
- build high school classrooms
- build high school science labs
- build a high school library
- build a high school cafeteria / multi-purpose room
- build a high school gymnasium
- build a high school office
- build high school restrooms
- build and renovate high school facilities to accommodate students displaced by construction, if needed
- furnish and equip the high school
- address unforeseen conditions revealed by construction/modernization (e.g., plumbing or gas line breaks, dry rot, seismic, structural, etc.)
- perform necessary site preparation/restoration in connection with new construction, renovation or remodeling Back to index
STATEMENT IN COMPLIANCE· MEASURE CF
An election will be held in the
Acton-Agua Dulce School District (the "District") on November 4, 2008 to
authorize the sale of up to $13,000,000 in bonds of the District to finance high
school facilities as described in the Measure. 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 and
last series of bonds, based on estimated assessed valuations available at the
time of filing of this statement, is 2.500 cents per $100 ($25.00 per $100,000)
of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2009-10. The bonds are expected to be sold
in one series.
2. 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 2.500 cents per $100 ($25.00 per $100,000) of assessed valuation.
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.
Attention of all voters is directed to the fact that the foregoing information is based upon the District's projections and estimates only, which are not binding upon the District. 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 the 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 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: July 31,2008
DR. STAN HALPERIN, Superintendent Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District Back to index
IMPARTIAL ANLYSIAS OF MEASURE CF By Raymond G. Fortner, Jr., County Counsel
Approval of Measure CF would authorize the Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District ("District") to issue general obligation bonds, in an amount not to exceed $13,000,000.
Funds received from the sale of the bonds shall be used for the specific purposes set forth in this Measure including, replacing portables with permanent high school classrooms and facilities, and constructing additional classrooms and science labs. No funds may be used for teacher and administrator salaries or any other school operating expenses.
Independent performance and financial audits will be performed annually to ensure that the funds received from the sale of the bonds are expended as specified in the Measure. All bond expenditures will be monitored by an independent Citizen's Oversight Committee to ensure that the funds are spent as specified.
The bonds shall bear or accrue interest at a rate not to exceed the legal maximum, presently being twelve percent (12%) per annum. The bonds shall mature and be paid no later than thirty (30) years following their date of issuance. By issuing the bonds the District may be eligible to receive matching state funds.
This Measure requires a fifty-five percent (55%) vote for passage.
NOTICE TO VOTERS
Approval of Measure CF does not guarantee that the proposed project or projects in the Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District that are the subject of bonds under Measure CF will be funded beyond the local revenues generated by Measure CF. The school district's proposal for the project or projects may assume the receipt of matching state funds, which could be subject to appropriation by the Legislature or approval of a statewide bond measure. ' Back to index
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF MEASURE CF
In the communities of Acton and Agua Dulce, we want the best for our children. However, we know that maintaining strict fiscal accountability and independence are just as important. This is why we choose to live here.
Vasquez High School needs a permanent solution. The portables installed in 1993 when Acton Agua Dulce Unified School District was formed were a temporary fix then. Now, they are simply old. A YES vote on Measure "CF" will provide a permanent high school on a sensible budget. It is what our students need, no more and no less. Measure "CF" will replace portables with a permanent Vasquez High School.
TAXPAYER SAFEGUARDS ARE IN PLACE. MEASURE "CF" REQUIRES:
- An independent citizens' oversight committee of parents, business leaders, seniors, and taxpayers
- Annual financial and performance audits to ensure funds are only spent on Vasquez High School
- Funds be used only to build a new Vasquez High School - not to pay employee salaries
MEASURE "CF" MAKES FINANCIAL SENSE. IT WILL:
- Build the proposed facilities now, rather than in the future when they will only cost us more money
- Improve our property values and maintain the desirability of our community
- Qualify the District for over $9 million in state matching funds
As taxpayers, we know it is crucial to have a permanent Vasquez High School with adequate facilities for students.
Join Parents, Senior Citizens, Teachers, Taxpayers, and Community Leaders in supporting a permanent Vasquez High School.
VOTE YES ON MEASURE "CF"! LARRY H. LAYTON Member - Governing Board
PEGGY MARRONE President, Acton-Agua Dulce Teachers Assn.
BOB BUECHNER Electrical Contractor
KIMBERLY K. MILEWSKY Property Owner
LILLIAN SMITH Publisher Back to index
PREBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF MEASURE CF
For the Fifth Time, the Board continues to deceive the voters. VOTE NO ON MEASURE CF
- They say: "A yes vote on Measure CF will provide a permanent HS on a sensible budget." Question: Does that mean that the $46.2 million bond, found in Measure V, was insensible?
- They say: "Taxpayer safeguards are in place." In fact, the citizen oversight committee serves at the pleasure of the Board, can be replaced at any time and has no real authority.
- They say: "Measure CF improves property values." NOT TRUE! Now is not the time to raise our taxes.
- They say: "The District will qualify for over $9 million in state matching funds." In reality, state funding will likely disappear before it's our turn.
- The board continues to ignore our K-8 schools by disregarding their deteriorating conditions.
- Not one deferred maintenance project began this summer at any of our schools; Acton school continues to be closed.
- The board misled the public by reporting a positive cash flow. In fact, the board refinanced an existing loan with a lower interest rate that would have expired in 2018. This increases payments by over $1.3 million, which will continue until 2031. This is not fiscal reform, and will saddle our children with this debt.
VOTE NO ON MEASURE CF RON BIRD
VP AAUSD School Board
MAXIMINO S. DURAN Former School Board Member
FRED E. HESLEP Former School Board Member
RAY F. BILLET Former - Taxpayer
ROBERT CONNELLY Taxpayer Back to index
VOTE NO on Measure CF, the $13
Million Bond proposal from The Acton/Agua Dulce Unified School District.
Why does this district want to build another school, when we have a vacant
school facility that can be used as a Junior High or High School?
The district has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on previous failed bond attempts.
Does this sound like fiscal responsibility?
The Board is obsessed with building a school rather than educating our students. The state is in a deficit - where will the matching funds come from?
For the 5th time VOTE NO to FISCAL IRRESPONSIBILITY! Back to index
REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT AGAINST MEASURE CF
The students of Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District need a permanent Vasquez High School, not trailers and portables. We now need to put Children First. The District listened to voters and has developed a modest plan to meet our children's high school needs. Measure "CF" is a sensible solution to provide a permanent Vasquez High.
Our local education needs have not gone away. The District has reviewed all available options prior to placing Measure "CF" on the ballot:
- Retrofitting existing schools for high school students would cost just as much as building a new high school.
-State funding is not available unless a local match is provided.
-Current school facilities are in use for existing classes, community college classes, and child care.
Measure "CF" is the best alternative to meet our high school needs and will build only the Vasquez High School our children need, nothing more.
-Measure "CF" REQUIRES TAXPAYER SAFEGUARDS to ensure money is used only for voter approved projects, including an independent citizens' oversight committee and annual financial and performance audits.
-Measure "CF" will qualify the District for over $9 million in State matching funds from Prop ID - not the State budget.
As taxpayers, we know the benefit of having permanent school facilities.
The communities of Acton and Agua Dulce need a permanent Vasquez High School. Measure "CF" will provide the high school our children need.
Vote YES on Measure "CF"!
LARRY H. LAYTON Member, Governing Board
PEGGY MARRONE President, Acton-Agua Dulce Teachers Assn.
BOB BUECHNER Electrical Contractor
KIM MILEWSKY Resident - Home Owner Property Owner
LILLIAN SMITH Publisher Back to index