SUPPORT
Proposition 55--Kindergarten-University Public Education Facilities
Bond Act of 2004

DESCRIPTION

This bond measure will allow the state to sell $12.3 billion of general obligation bonds to provide funding for a variety of projects to build, repair and modernize K-12 schools ($10 billion) and higher education facilities ($2.3 billion).

Its stated purpose is to provide funding for necessary education facilities to relieve overcrowding and to repair older schools by targeting areas of greatest need. Funds must be spent according to strict accountability measures.

Funds will also be used to upgrade and build new classrooms in the California Community College System (CCC), the California State Universities (CSU), and the University of California (UC) to provide adequate education facilities to accommodate growing student enrollment.

The Legislative Analyst estimates that the cost to repay principal and interest over 30 years would be about $13.15 billion, with an average payment of about $873 million per year.

Proposition 55 is the second part of a two-part General Obligation bond and was placed on the ballot by a two-thirds vote of the Legislature and the signature of then Governor Gray Davis. If the voters do not approve this measure, state law requires the same bond issue to be placed on the November 2004 ballot.

The following description of Prop 55 allocations have been excerpted from the Legislative Analyst's analysis and can be found at www.lao.ca.gov.

K-12 School Facilities

New Construction-$5.26 billion. A total of $5.26 billion would be available to buy land and construct new school buildings. A district would be required to pay for 50 percent of costs with local resources unless it qualifies for state hardship funding. The measure also provides that up to $300 million of these new construction funds is available for charter school facilities. (Charter schools are public schools that operate independently of many of the requirements of regular public schools.)

Modernization-$2.25 billion. The proposition makes $2.25 billion available for the reconstruction or modernization of existing school facilities. Districts would be required to pay 40 percent of project costs from local resources.

Critically Overcrowded Schools-$2.44 billion. This proposition directs a total of $2.44 billion to districts with schools which are considered critically overcrowded. These funds would go to schools that have a large number of pupils relative to the size of the school site.

Joint-Use Projects-$50 million. The measure makes a total of $50 million available to fund joint-use projects. (An example of a joint-use project is a facility constructed for use by both a K-12 school district and a local library district.)

Higher Education Facilities

The measure includes $2.3 billion to construct new buildings and related infrastructure, alter existing buildings, and purchase equipment for use in these buildings for California's public higher education systems. The measure allocates $690 million each to UC and CSU and $920 million to CCCs. The Governor and the Legislature would select the specific projects to be funded by the bond monies.

BACKGROUND

The state provides 50 percent of the money for new construction and 60 percent for approved modernization projects. In November 2002, California voters passed the first education bond of this two-part project. It provided $13.05 billion ($11.4 billion for K-12 and $1.65 billion for higher education). That money is now depleted. The commitment of the Legislature and Governor to funding for educational facilities is clear from their actions in placing this second part of an education bond measure on the March 2004 ballot and requiring that, should it not pass, it be placed before the voters again at the next election in November 2004.

IMPORTANT POINTS

• Proposition 55 provides funds to repair and renovate our old and outdated schools. Some schools in California have seen three generations of students without being renovated. It is time to fix our school buildings--leaky roofs, bathroom facilities and fire alarm systems must be repaired so our children can learn in a clean, safe environment.
• Research shows that one way to help improve test scores and help students meet higher standards is to reduce classroom overcrowding and provide kids with a clean, safe place to learn--a place where teachers can teach and students can learn.
• Seventy-three percent of California's classrooms are more than 25 years old.
• 27.5 million square feet of existing California Community College facilities require critical safety renovation, modernization/renovation, and the replacement of temporary facilities projects.
• More than half of the California State University's existing facilities are over 30 years old and badly in need of renovation.
• Proposition 55 will help ensure that our school facilities are improved to meet earthquake and fire standards.
• Proposition 55 provides money for wiring to bring our classrooms up to standards for the technology our students need to be prepared in the future.
• Proposition 55 provides funds to build new schools to relieve overcrowding, accommodate expected new enrollments and provide classrooms to keep our class sizes and schools smaller. Proposition 55 provides specific funding for construction and repair projects in California's most critically overcrowded districts. Many students attend classrooms with 40 or more students.
• Research evidence and common sense both indicate that there is a minimum level of quality for a school facility below which student and teacher effectiveness can be seriously compromised. A variety of studies conducted since 1982 throughout the United States indicate that students achieve less in school buildings which are situated on noisy streets, have too many students for their capacity, or cannot be adequately and safely maintained.
• California needs to build 22,000 classrooms to deal with overcrowding and increasing enrollment. California has the third most overcrowded classrooms in the nation.
• The California Department of Finance projects K-12 student populations to grow by 4.4% a year until 2008.
• By the end of the decade, enrollment in California's public K-12 schools and community colleges, California State University and University of California will swell by almost one million students.
• Proposition 55 will distribute funds fairly to schools with overcrowding.
• Every district is eligible for its fair share of Proposition 55 funds, based on local need. No district gets more than its fair share. Proposition 55 specifically targets funds where they are most needed--districts with critically overcrowded and rundown schools. Proposition 55 also contains hardship provisions for those districts most in need.
• More than one million California school children attend an over-crowded school or a school needing repairs.
• Nearly 1,000 school sites (in 47 school districts across California) are "critically overcrowded." These districts have schools with inadequate classroom space and student population densities in excess of 200% and sometimes 300% of California Department of Education guidelines.
• As of July 2000, 22% of K-12 students were attending 1,492 schools operating year-round schedules in 200 school districts.
• Proposition 55 ensures that taxpayers' money is protected by holding schools accountable for how the dollars are spent. School districts will have to provide audits and continuing access to information on exactly how the bond funds are being spent.
• Proposition 55 funds can only be spent on building or renovating schools, not on overhead or bureaucracy. Independent audits conducted every year, strict cost controls, actual site performance audits, and other requirements guard against waste and mismanagement and provide ongoing oversight of all school projects. That is why the California Taxpayers' Association says "Proposition 55 is a fiscally responsible way to finance school repair and construction."
• Allan Zaremberg, President of the California Chamber of Commerce, has hailed Proposition 55 as "a sound, fiscally responsible investment that will contribute to our future economic prosperity."
• Proposition 55 is a joint effort of state/local agencies to meet the needs of our students. Voters in many local districts have or soon will approve local school bonds. Most of those projects cannot be completed without Proposition 55 matching funds.
• According to State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jack O'Connell, there is a $120 million backlog of local school repair projects waiting for funding from the state. This backlog could grow by as much as $50-60 million per month. What is more, there are more than 50 school funding measures on local ballots in March. These school districts are counting on Proposition 55 matching funds to make necessary progress fixing schools in their communities.
• School construction and repair in California is a state/local partnership. Prop. 55 provides matching state funds to help communities with their local school repair and construction projects. Without matching state funds, many local districts cannot move forward with these important projects. So Proposition 55 represents a positive boost to local school construction efforts.
• Proposition 55 will increase jobs and boost the economy. Fixing and building schools and classrooms provides direct economic benefits and jobs to every community and is an investment in our future workforce. That is why the California Chamber of Commerce supports Prop. 55.
• Proposition 55 encourages joint-use facilities between K-12 and higher education.
• Proposition 55 will provide classrooms in overcrowded colleges and upgrade college classrooms, labs, libraries and research facilities. It will help fix the older facilities that need seismic upgrades and other repairs.
• More than 580,000 students are expected to enroll at California Community Colleges by the end of the decade.
• Student enrollment at our community colleges, California State University and University of California campuses has skyrocketed. Another 700,000 college students will be added to the mix by the end of the decade.
• Proposition 55 is an appropriate financing vehicle for building school classrooms and higher education facilities. The California Taxpayers' Association notes that "Families purchase a home using long-term mortgages because housing is a high-priority, long-term need. Similarly, providing quality education facilities over the long term is one of the state's highest priorities. Long-term financing through general obligation bonds is the most appropriate and cost effective financing vehicle to pay for the capital costs of school construction and repairs."

RESOURCES

Kathy Webb, LWVC Social Policy Director, kwebblwv@aol.com

Barbara Inatsugu, LWVC Program Director for Education, Lwvinatsugub@aol.com

Marion Taylor, LWVC Legislation Director, mtayl0r@sbcglobal.net

Campaign Web site: www.yeson55.com

GET INVOLVED

Now is the time to get active and spread the word about Proposition 55. Urge others to join the coalition. Sign-up forms, sample resolutions and other materials can be found under the "campaign headquarters" link on the www.yeson55.com Web site.

Spread the Word. Download and distribute campaign materials widely. Help arrange a Prop. 55 presentation to local community groups, chambers, rotaries and education groups in your community. Post a link to www.yeson55.com from your Web site. Send out a blast email or publish a Prop. 55 article in your newsletter. Do whatever you can to spread the word about Prop. 55.

Help us localize the need for Prop. 55. Please email information@yeson55.com or call the campaign hotline (888-563-0055) with examples of school and classroom needs in your community. We must convince voters of the direct local need for Prop.55 in each community.

SAMPLE LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Note: Please adapt this letter to your own community and check your local paper's word limit for published letters.

Editor:

Do you know that one million children attend schools in California with bathrooms that don't work? That 27.5 million square feet of existing California Community College facilities require critical safety renovation/modernization? Do you know that even with class size reduction programs, California has the third most overcrowded classrooms in the nation?

When you go to the polls on March 2, you can invest in our future by supporting new schools and the renovation of older ones. Proposition 55 will help to fix our schools and help our students succeed.

California's public schools used to be among the best in the nation. A booming population and years of neglect and inadequate funding have changed that. Proposition 55 will build new schools, repair those leaky roofs, improve the energy efficiency of facilities, and upgrade our classrooms for access to technology, so that our students will be prepared to participate in tomorrow's workforce.

Proposition 55 does not increase taxes. This March's bond measure will provide $12.3 billion for our schools. California schools are beginning to "turn around" in improving test scores and meeting higher standards. Let's do our part by improving the facilities.

Vote YES on Proposition 55! It is the best investment in our future you can make.

Sincerely,

(your name)