$542 million bond measure placed on November ballot by Elk Grove Unified School District Trustees
https://www.elkgrovenews.net/2024/07/542-million-bond-measure-placed-on.html
The Elk Grove Unified School District Board of Trustees has approved placing a 30-year $542 million bond on the November ballot. The 6-1 vote, with Trustee Tony Perez voting no, came during a special board meeting on Wednesday, July 24.
Called the Student Growth, Modernization and Expansion Measure, trustees were told during the meeting that the bonds are needed for facility repairs and the modernization of the district's sprawling networks of schools and ancillary structures. A measure designation will be assigned after the district submits information to the Sacramento County Board of Elections and Voter Registration.
During public comment, EGUSD candidate Heidi Moore, who is challenging Area 7 Trustee Carmine Forcina, said there was a mixture of hope and doubt in Area 7. Ms. Moore, who resides in the portion of the city of Rancho Cordova served by the district, has made building a middle and high school a campaign pillar.
"The possibility of finally getting any schools in our community brings a lot of hope to community members, but it also brings doubt," she told the trustees.
Moore noted that news schools were suddenly announced once the district surveys showed limited appeal to the general obligation bonds in Area 7. She asked that language be included in the measure that Area 7 schools will be completed in five to six years.
"Many question how genuine your intention is to prioritize these schools," Moore said. Ms. Moore's entire commentary is in the video posted below.
For adoption, the measure must have 55 percent voter approval. The tax burden is estimated at $37 per $100,000 of property accessed value.
As they did with 2016's successful Measure M, which was repeatedly mentioned during deliberations, the district will conduct a voter educational campaign. Measure M issued $476 general obligation bonds for facility modernization.
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Gazing into my crystal ball, I see that property values are the primary motivation of residents and that the school district ranking/reputation factors into that. Therefore, the bond measure to improve the physical conditions of the schools (and make them look nicer too) would certainly be supported by the typical homeowner who primarily cares about their property value.
Then I asked myself how many voters opt to home school or send their kids to private school and would not support spending their tax dollars on facilities that they are not personally using--I suspect it is a very small percentage.
Then I wondered whether older residents who no longer have children in school would support the bond measure. I suspect a fair number of older residents in Elk Grove either live with their grandchildren in an extended family household or live close by and would be supportive of the bond measure.
My crystal ball shows the bond measure easily passing, but I'm sure the City Council could advise the school district on how best to sell the measure to voters, just as they did with the Measure E sales tax increase!
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