School Bond Rule Is Too Tough

It’s never easy getting Orange County voters to give the thumbs up to tax increases. When the requirement is approval by two-thirds of those casting ballots, the hill becomes that much steeper.

Supporters of a bond measure to build new elementary schools in Anaheim and repair existing ones learned that tough lesson this month. Although they did garner a majority of the votes, they failed to reach the two-thirds mark. Had the measure passed, property taxes would have increased by $22 a year for each $100,000 of assessed valuation.

Considering the relatively low-level campaign in support of the bond measure, even getting the 55% that was achieved should be considered an accomplishment.

But that moral victory will not relieve overcrowded classrooms.

Backers of the tax, including the superintendent of the Anaheim City School District, Roberta Thompson, said they will try again. Next time, they need higher visibility for their efforts and an early start to soliciting support.

A key element of the defeat was the lack of support by Anaheim’s business leaders. Shop owners, hotel managers and manufacturers all know the importance of schools. Without skilled, educated employees, business will dry up. Yet the tax supporters could not gain the dollars, expertise and volunteer time from businesspeople that would have been such a valuable asset. That means they must make a more persuasive case next time.

Schools frequently are criticized for not doing a good job of educating students and not spending wisely the money they receive now. So why give them more money?

Los Angeles schools successfully countered that argument two years ago by establishing a board to oversee spending of the money if voters approved a $2.4-billion bond measure. They did. That’s worth consideration in Anaheim.

There is no doubt that Anaheim schools are hard-pressed for space. The last new school was built 30 years ago; enrollment in the district has grown by more than 1,000 students a year for the last decade, a rate more than double the state average.

The state Constitution requires the two-thirds passage of school bond issues. Gov. Pete Wilson and legislative Democrats support changing the Constitution so that such local school bonds can be passed by a majority vote. We support the change as well.

Proposition 13 limited increases in property taxes, which once contributed most of the money for school budgets. These days it’s state income and sales taxes that provide the bulk of funds. Allowing for passage of local school bond measures by a simple majority would be fairer than the two-thirds requirement; voters would still have to be persuaded that the schools really need the money.