1 of 2 School Bond Measures Taken Off Ballot

Voters in the Santa Clarita Valley will be asked to approve only one school bond measure this fall because a local district has decided voters are not in the mood to tax themselves twice for education.

Two measures to raise money for new schools were scheduled to appear on the Nov. 5 ballot, but the William S. Hart Union High School District removed its proposal this week to eliminate competition with the Newhall School District.

Because the two districts overlap, many voters would have faced the choice of taxing themselves twice to relieve overcrowded schools. If both measures passed, a homeowner whose property is assessed at $250,000 would have had to pay $44 more in taxes per year for new elementary schools and $50 for new high schools.

“With the general economic situation, it’s clear that voters are not in the frame of mind to look kindly at increasing their taxes,” said William Maddigan, Hart’s director of business and fiscal services.

The district may put the $30-million bond measure on the ballot in November, 1992, said Pat Hanrion, vice president of the district’s advisory council.

“People are just too strapped now,” Hanrion said.

In the meantime, Hart officials will purchase 12 new portable classrooms to relieve overcrowded high schools. Each of the district’s three high schools will be about 500 students over capacity this fall, Maddigan said. Enrollment was expected to be even higher, but the economic slump has slowed the pace of building in Santa Clarita, he said.

Newhall officials could not be reached for comment. The district’s $20-million measure, which will appear on the November ballot, fell just 121 votes short of the two-thirds majority necessary for passage in June. The funds would be used to build at least three elementary schools.