Few Opposing School District Bonds

The Huntington Beach City School District hasn’t had a school-bond election in nearly 40 years. And the Laguna Beach Unified School District has never had one in its more than 120-year history.

Both streaks will end June 5 when voters in those districts go to the polls in special elections.

The $25-million Huntington Beach City School District bond measure faces minor grass-roots opposition. The $39-million Laguna Beach bond measure has no organized opposition.

“There are people that I’m sure will vote ‘no,’ but I’m not surprised [by the lack of opposition] because our schools need the improvements,” said Steven Rabago, co-chairman of the Committee for Laguna Beach Schools.

The Laguna Beach Unified School District serves about 2,600 students in two elementary schools, a middle school and a high school. The district encompasses all of Laguna Beach and small portions of Aliso Viejo, Newport Coast and Laguna Woods.

If Measure R passes, the district will create additional classroom space; repair roofs, fix heating and ventilation systems; replace defective plumbing; replace and upgrade science and computer labs; and improve electrical service for safety, increased capacity and new technology.

Rabago said most of the schools in Laguna Beach are 35 to 40 years old, with parts of Laguna Beach High School nearly 70 years old.

At a time when modern classrooms have computers, printers and other technology, he said, Laguna’s oldest classrooms have only two electrical outlets. And El Morro Elementary School is still on a septic system.

“We are really excited about what [the bond money] can do for our schools,” said Supt. Theresa A. Daem.

The 25-year bond would cost the average property owner about $36 a year for each $100,000 of assessed valuation, Rabago said.

In Huntington Beach, Measure S “is only for renovating and modernizing our facilities,” said Bill Wallace, campaign coordinator for Citizens for Better Elementary Schools. “Just like anybody’s home after a while, there are some renovations you just have to do no matter how good your maintenance is.”

The Huntington Beach City School District, which serves 6,696 students in Huntington Beach and Sunset Beach, has eight elementary schools and two middle schools.

The district’s oldest school--Ethel Dwyer Middle--was built in 1934, but most of the schools were built in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, said Jerry Buchanan, assistant superintendent.

Because of their age, most of the schools need new roofs, he said. And with the exception of 18-month-old Huntington Seacliff Elementary School, all schools need new plumbing, electrical systems and fire alarm and intercom phone systems. Some schools need heating and air conditioning--Dwyer still has its original boiler system--or playground equipment and asphalt on playgrounds, he said. Other schools need to have their classrooms modernized or need extensive door and window replacement.

“The systems we have now, even though they are well maintained, have just outlived their economic life,” said Buchanan. “But the most important part [of the bond measure] is that it’s for the kids. We want the kids to have high test scores and succeed. In order to do that we have to bring these buildings to current and future standards if we’re going to put technology in the classrooms.”

The 30-year bond would cost property owners about $16 a year per $100,000 of assessed valuation, Buchanan said.

Matthew Harper, a member of Vote No on S, a grass-roots group of about two dozen residents, said he opposes the bond measure because it lacks accountability to voters.

He said the measure doesn’t create an independent oversight committee to ensure that the bond funds will be spent on projects approved by voters. And it doesn’t provide a specific list of projects.

“Measure S is basically a blank check,” said Harper, a Huntington Beach Union High School District board member.

Harper said the measure also doesn’t create a repair and replacement reserve by which the district would set aside money yearly for facilities, which could either be spent that year or saved for future needs.

“You wouldn’t need a bond in the future if districts were doing that,” he said.

Harper said he doesn’t argue over the need for facilities improvements, but said, “I don’t think Measure S will solve the problem in the long term.”

Harper said it will take 30 years to pay off the bond, “and at a going market rate of about 5.5%, that means over the 30 years more than twice the principal will be paid by taxpayers.”

Harper said the Vote No on S group was formed only a few weeks ago, too late to meet the deadline for submitting a ballot statement against the bond measure.

“Measure S was under the radar screen,” he said.

Although state school modernization funds are currently unavailable, the Huntington Beach City School District is eligible to receive $20.8 million under a formula by which the state would pay 80% and the district 20%, or $4.2 million. The district’s ability to pay its share when the funds become available again, however, is contingent on the bond measure’s passing.

“The district has no other source of funds for the match,” Buchanan said.

The Laguna Beach Unified School District received $3.7 million in state modernization funds within the past year for three of its schools and is eligible for future modernization funds for Laguna Beach High School when they become available again. But, district officials say, their ability to pay their matching portion is not contingent on passing the bond measure because the district already has set aside $636,615 for its share.

School bond measures require a two-thirds vote in special elections. Under Proposition 39, which passed last year, local school bonds can pass during general elections with 55% of the vote.

Seven of Orange County’s 28 school districts have passed bonds in the last 2 1/2 years. But other attempts have failed, including measures by Huntington Beach Union High School District and Anaheim City School District. Voters also rejected a parcel tax to benefit Irvine schools.

But those school bond measures were decided before Proposition 39 passed. Huntington Beach Union High School District’s $120-million bond measure, which failed in 1999 with 61.5% of the vote, would have passed under the new rules.