Simi, Oak Park Educators Await Bond, Tax Fates

Major building improvements for schools and teachers’ job security will be in voters’ hands in two Ventura County districts next month.

Residents of the Simi Valley Unified School District will vote March 2 on a $145-million bond issue that would finance improvements at all 28 schools in the district. Property owners would pay $42 per $100,000 of assessed valuation for the 25-year life of the loan.

And voters in the Oak Park Unified School District will be asked to tax themselves $197 annually for five years to safeguard teacher staffing in order to keep classes small. The tax would raise $850,000 to $900,000 annually.

The Simi Valley measure must garner 55% support to pass, while the Oak Park parcel tax requires 66% approval to take effect.

Supporters of both measures are optimistic.

“I think we have an excellent chance,” said Mel Roop, assistant superintendent in the 22,000-student Simi Valley district. “It’s a legitimate need. When we give the information to people, they’ll see.”

Gary Richards, superintendent of the 3,700-student Oak Park district, agreed that communication was the key.

“I think there’s a very good chance” of success, he said. “The [Friends of Oak Park Schools] committee is working very diligently to try to explain ... the need for the measure.”

In the Simi Valley election, 80% of the money raised would be used for modernization of schools, many of which have outdated heating, plumbing, air conditioning, electrical systems and restrooms, Roop said.

“Technology is a big [category],” he said. “Most of these schools were built in the ‘60s. They don’t even have enough plugs in the rooms for all the computers.”

The other 20% of the funds would be used for new construction at existing schools. Library improvements also appear several times on a district wish list.

Roop said that if Proposition 55, the $12-billion state school bond measure, and the Simi Valley measure were successful, the district would qualify for up to $62 million more in state matching grants.

The district last sought bond issues in 1989, for $35 million and $8 million. The larger amount, for school renovations, was approved, but the smaller proposal, earmarked for an auditorium and gymnasiums, was rejected.

Ron Robinson, a member of Citizens 4 Simi Schools, said the group was taking a grass-roots approach to getting the latest bond issue passed, using fliers, informational meetings, phone banks and door-to-door canvassing by 300 volunteers.

Many of those on the committee have been working toward this goal for years, Robinson said.

“In our city, the citizens believe that as good as the school board is, [board members] need to be partnering with citizens and parents to do the job.”

No one has filed a statement with the elections department against either the bond issue or the parcel tax. Robinson believes that what opposition there is to the Simi Valley levy is from those who don’t like the school board for one reason or another.

“They say, ‘Can we trust this board with this $145 million?’ ” he said. “But the board isn’t controlling this money.”

An oversight committee made up of parents, businesspeople, senior citizens and others has been formed to ensure that the money goes where it is intended, said Marybeth Jacobsen, chairwoman of the campaign committee. “The oversight committee is the eyes and ears of the community,” she said.

Although the Simi Valley funds would be earmarked for property improvements, money raised in the much-smaller Oak Park district would be used mainly to retain teachers and keep classes small.

“Should this not succeed, we’re going to have to lay off between 15 and 20 teachers,” Supt. Richards said. The district employs 220 teachers in its six schools. This is the first parcel tax in the history of the district, which was formed in 1977, Richards said.

Like Simi Valley Unified, Oak Park is trying to get its message out to every voter, Richards said, via coffees at schools, rallies and a website, www.friendsofoak parkschools.org.

“We’re trying to do this on a grass-roots level and trying to make the case that the schools are a critical part of the life of this community,” he said.