SANTA ANA : Space-Saver School Proposal Criticized

In a letter sent to 4,000 Santa Ana residents, Councilwoman Lisa Mills called a controversial site for a space-saver school a waste of taxpayer money.

She also said that construction at the site would unnecessarily demolish businesses. Mills’ mailing included a form letter residents could use to write a state senator and oppose use of the site.

“There are many other sites in Santa Ana that would cost less, have no negative impact on badly needed local shopping or businesses, and be more appropriately located for young teen-age students,” said the letter, received by residents Monday.

Santa Ana was selected by the state to take part in the space-saver program, designed to build schools vertically rather than horizontally in overcrowded districts. The state first approved money for the plan in 1989, but no district has yet to come up with a workable plan.

At a contentious meeting in February, the Santa Ana Unified School District board approved a site at Bristol MarketPlace on Bristol and 17th streets for a two-story junior high school. However, the plan has been mired in controversy because of the property’s $21-million price tag, to be paid by the state.

Critics said the $21-million cost is far too high and prompted the district to have three new property appraisals made at a cost of $25,000 each. They were due to be turned in to the State Allocation Board on Monday.

Mills’ letters were on council stationery but she said she mailed them at her own expense. Included was a form letter to state Sen. Leroy Greene (D-Carmichael), who serves on the allocation board, urging that another site be selected.

“I just have a philosophical disagreement with paying $21 million to buy the back of a parking lot. Most people I’ve talked to didn’t want to see it,” Mills said.

School board member Audrey Yamagata-Noji, who supports the project, said she was outraged by Mills’ letter.

“I think the consensus is she really overstepped her bounds on this issue,” Yamagata-Noji said. “She has continued to utilize her role on the City Council to attack the school board and try to discredit us for this decision. I think that when somebody doesn’t get their way, they can always fall back on saying, ‘Well they haven’t studied all the issues. . . .’ ”

Yamagata-Noji said two of the three appraisals were turned in to the state on time, but she did not know what they contained. The content of the appraisals has not been shared with board members out of concern that they would leak them to the public, she said.

“I know there’s a taxpayer concern, but it’s kind of hard to address, because it’s premature,” she said.

She added that the Montgomery Ward and HomeBase stores that would be demolished to build the school would then be rebuilt, adding to the cost of the deal.