State Moves to Block Hemet’s Novel School-Building Strategy

Fearful that a controversial plan for building schools by Hemet could spread to other communities and threaten the state treasury, California officials took legal action Friday to block the city from financing school construction through redevelopment.

Thomas W. Hayes, director of the Department of Finance, filed papers in Superior Court here alleging that Hemet’s redevelopment strategy--novel in that it is targeted primarily at raising money for school construction, not traditional housing and urban infrastructure projects--is an illegal circumvention of school-funding mechanisms.

“This would be a major hit on the state’s general fund,” said Cindy Katz, assistant finance director, who explained that the state would legally be required to make up the funds diverted to redevelopment. “We’re trying to discourage other cities from doing the same thing.”

State officials expressed sympathy for the plight of communities hard-pressed for classroom space during a period of austerity. But Hayes said a school bond measure is the avenue for supplemental school construction funds.

The legal action marks the first time the state has attempted to block creation of a redevelopment agency, Katz said. The attorney general’s office filed documents adding the state’s name to an existing lawsuit that had been filed by a group of residents.

Officials in Hemet, a fast-growing Riverside County city of 50,000, said the state’s action was expected, but they contend that redevelopment is their only means of building schools and alleviating overcrowded classrooms.

A group of citizens opposed to the redevelopment plan is attempting to put the matter to the voters in June.