Copyright© 1999 by School Services of California, Inc.
Simple Majority Vote For School Bonds
Qualifies For March 2000 Ballot
The "Lets Fix Our Schools" initiative has qualified for the March 2000 ballot. The initiative would change the current two-thirds vote requirement for passage of local General Obligation Bond measures to a simple majority vote (50%-plus-one). The initiative has been designated as Proposition 26.
According to its official summary obtained from the Secretary of States Office (www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections/_j.htm), Proposition 26:
"Authorizes school, community college districts, and county education offices that evaluate safety, class size, information technology needs to issue bonds for construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or replacement of school facilities if approved by majority of applicable district or county voters. Prohibits bond use for teacher, administrator salaries, other school operating expenses. Accountability requirements include annual performance, financial audits. Requires that facilities be available to public charter schools. Majority voter approval of bonds authorizes property taxes in excess of 1% of full cash value of assessed property to pay school bonds. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: The measure would result in the following major fiscal impacts: (1) Major annual savings in state debt service costs and annual increases of potentially a similar amount in local debt service costs for kindergarten through community college facilities. Additional costs to provide appropriate charter school facilities would vary by individual district. (2) Unknown annual state and local kindergarten through high school costs for renovation and construction of facilities for public charter schools."
The initiative has the support of several community college districts, the Association of California Community College Administrators, the Community College League, California School Boards Association, California State PTA, California Teachers Association and many other educational organizations.
According to a recent Field Poll 59% of all voters surveyed indicated that they would vote for Proposition 26. Democrats are inclined to vote Yes on the measure by almost a four to one margin (76%). By contrast, Republicans are currently against the initiative - 50% opposing to 45% in favor (5% no opinion) - but by a narrow margin.
-- Arnold Bray