Error Inflates Bond Figure to $16 Trillion

What could Moorpark Unified School District do with $16 trillion?

Pay back the national debt, perhaps, with enough left to install gold sinks in all the campus restrooms.

The school district made a mistake in the language on the Nov. 4 ballot for its Measure U school bond initiative to improve facilities.

Rather than asking the public for $16.18 million or $16,180,000, the school district on the official ballot has asked voters for $16,180,000 million. The word “million” accidentally tacked onto the end technically makes the figure over $16 trillion.

School district officials said it was an honest mistake and that people will understand the figure is $16,180,000.

“We know the people of Moorpark are generous--but not that generous,” said Frank DePasquale, one of the district’s assistant superintendents. “It should read $16 million numerically. The word ‘million’ was a clerical error.”

On official voter pamphlets, written statements from the county counsel and Moorpark school district’s Supt. Thomas Duffy show that the district twice used the correct figure: $16,180,000.

Moorpark residents Holly Tolliver and her husband contacted the office several weeks ago when they noticed the incorrect figure on their absentee ballots.

‘It was an honest mistake,” Tolliver said. “But I think it’s important to admit their mistake and let the public know what their mistake was.”

District officials said they contacted the county registrar of voters when they found out two weeks ago but were told it would be too late to print new ballots.

“Not only would it have been extremely expensive, it probably would not have happened in time,” said county elections chief Bruce Bradley.