Pass: 10952 / 71.27% Yes votes ...... 4414 / 28.73% No votes

See Also: Index of all Propositions

Meaning of Voting Yes/No

A YES vote on this measure means:

A "yes" vote is a vote in favor of authorizing the Oceanside Unified School District to issue and sell $195,000,000 in general obligation bonds.

A NO vote on this measure means:

A "no" vote is a vote against authorizing the Oceanside Unified School District to issue and sell $195,000,000 in general obligation bonds.

Proceeds from the sale of bonds authorized by this proposition may be used by the District only for the construction, reconstruction and/or rehabilitation of its school facilities, including the furnishing and equipping of its school facilities, acquisition, or lease of real property for its school facilities.

The interest rate on any bond, which is established at the time of bond issuance, cannot exceed 12% per annum. The final maturity date of any bond could be no later than 40 years after the date of bonds issued pursuant to the Government Code. Principal and interest on the bonds would be paid by revenue derived from an annual tax levied upon the taxable property within the District in an amount sufficient to pay the interest as it becomes due and to provide a fund for payment of the principal on or before maturity.

Article XIII A of the California Constitution exempts from the one percent property tax rate limitation ad valorem taxes to pay the interest and redemption charges on any bonded indebtedness for the acquisition or improvement of real property, including the furnishing and equipping of school facilities, when approved by 55% of the voters if: (a) the proceeds from the sale of the bonds are used only for the purposes specified, (b) the District, by evaluating safety, class size reduction, and information technology, has approved a list of specific projects to be funded, (c) the District will conduct an annual, independent performance audit, and (d) the District will conduct an annual, independent financial audit. If a bond measure is approved by 55% of the voters, state law requires the governing board of the District to establish an independent citizens' oversight committee. The District has made this ballot proposition subject to these requirements.

Approval of this proposition does not guarantee that the proposed projects in the District that are the subject of these bonds will be funded beyond the local revenues generated by this proposition.

School District Overview

School District Boundary Map

Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC)

North County Times

• OCEANSIDE: Volunteers make final push for school bond - 5/31/08
• OCEANSIDE: Volunteers organize to support school bond - 4/9/08

• District's unfinished business - 5/25/08

The facts are clear:

• Deteriorating building systems in our older schools need repair or replacement.
• Many of our classrooms and labs lack basic infrastructure to support up- to-date technology.

  Proposition H will:

• Replace deteriorated plumbing, sewer, water lines, heating, ventilation and air conditioning with new, energy efficient systems and upgrade outdated electrical systems
• Modernize classrooms and replace aging portable classrooms
• Repair/renovate student restrooms
• Improve/provide libraries, science labs, performing arts facilities, physical education fields and playgrounds
• Ensure all students access to up-to-date technology
• Improve campus safety/security, including fire alarms and seismic upgrades
• Make our schools accessible to all students
• Provide comparable, quality school facilities for all Oceanside Unified School District students

  Proposition H will:

• NOT raise existing tax rates

Quality school facilities attract and retain qualified teachers. Good schools enhance local quality of life and strong neighborhood property values.

Proposition H is supported by parents, teachers, senior citizens, local businesses, taxpayers and community members.

Join us in voting YES ON PROP H!

1. The best estimate of the tax which would be required to be levied to fund this bond issue during the first fiscal year after the sale of the first series of bonds, based on estimated assessed valuations available at the time of filing of this statement, is 0.55 cents per $100 ($5.50 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2008-09.

2. The best estimate of the tax rate which would be required to be levied to fund this bond issue during the first fiscal year after the sale of the last series of bonds, based on estimated assessed valuations available at the time of filing of this statement, is 2.55 cents per $100 ($25.50 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2014-2015.

3. The best estimate of the highest tax rate which would be required to be levied to fund this bond issue, based on estimated assessed valuations available at the time of filing of this statement, is 5.835 cents per $100 ($58.35 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2035-36.

4. The best estimate of the average tax rate which would be required to be levied to fund this bond issue, based on estimated assessed valuations available at the time of filing of this statement, is 3.25 cents per $100 ($32.50 per $100,000) of assessed valuation over the term of the bond program (expected to run from fiscal year 2008-09 through fiscal year 2043-44).

Attention of all voters is directed to the fact that the foregoing information is based upon the District's projections and estimates only, which are not binding upon the District. The actual tax rates and the years in which they will apply may vary from those presently estimated, due to variations from these estimates in the timing of bond sales, the amount of bonds sold and market interest rates at the time of each sale, and actual assessed valuations over the term of repayment of the bonds. The dates of sale and the amount of bonds sold at any given time will be determined by the District based on need for construction funds and other factors. The actual interest rates at which the bonds will be sold will depend on the bond market at the time of each sale. Actual future assessed valuation will depend upon the amount and value of taxable property within the District as determined by the County Assessor in the annual assessment and the equalization process.

Dated: March 4, 2008

Larry Perondi, Superintendent
Oceanside Unified School District

The Oceanside Unified School District has served the Oceanside community since 1971 when the elementary and high school districts merged. However, the historical roots in the community go back much further -- Oceanside High School celebrated its centennial in 2006.

Today the district serves more than 20,000 students kindergarten through grade 12. Fifteen district schools have been recognized as California Distinguished Schools and two are National Blue Ribbon School winners. Recently, both Oceanside High School and El Camino High School were included in the list of Top High Schools in the nation published by Newsweek.

In order to provide Oceanside students with the same classrooms and school facilities as other California school districts, major repairs, upgrades, and classroom construction are necessary to bring all schools up to the same standard as our new schools and to ensure these older school facilities will remain functional for future generations.

In June 2000, local voters took the first step in repairing and upgrading existing schools as well as constructing new schools, by approving Proposition G. The bond proceeds were used to build two new elementary schools (Nichols and Foussat) and one new middle school (Chavez). The bond proceeds also were used to entirely renovate two of the oldest elementary schools (Laurel and South Oceanside) and to complete major renovations and new construction at Oceanside High School, El Camino High School and Jefferson Middle School, and to start renovations of Del Rio elementary school this spring. All total, $212 million in school facility construction will be completed from the $125 million Proposition G bonds by securing state matching funds and other monies. The bond construction program has operated under the oversight of an independent Citizen's Oversight Committee to ensure that all bond funds are spent for the purpose they were intended.

The proposed 2008 bond will provide the additional funding needed to complete the repairs and modernization effort district-wide to provide equitable, high quality facilities for all Oceanside students.

The district has sought and continues to seek all available outside sources of funding to improve our school buildings, including local, state and federal grants and state matching bond funds, and joint-use funding. Now it is necessary to seek voter approval of a bond measure in order to provide the local funding for identified school facility repairs and modernization projects.

By approval of this proposition by at least 55 percent of the registered voters voting on the proposition, the District shall be authorized to issue and sell bonds of up to $195,000,000 at interest rates at or below the legal limit, to provide financing for the specific school facilities projects listed in the Bond Project List attached as Exhibit A-1, subject to all the accountability requirements specified below.

The Board hereby states its intention that the combination of tax rates resulting from bonds authorized under Proposition G in 2000 and from bonds authorized under the proposed bond measure will not exceed the rate currently being levied to support bonds authorized under Proposition G alone ($58.35 per $100,000 of assessed valuation).

The Bond Project List attached to this resolution as Exhibit A-1 shall be considered a part of the ballot proposition and shall be reproduced in any official document required to contain the full statement of the bond proposition.

Approval of this Bond Measure does not guarantee that the proposed projects will be funded beyond the local revenues generated by the Bond Measure. If state matching funds become available they will be used for and applied to the Bond Project List contained in Exhibit A-1. The District's proposal assumes the receipt of some matching state funds, which could be subject to appropriations by the Legislature or approval of a statewide bond measure.

The provisions in this section are specifically included in this proposition in order that the voters and taxpayers in the District may be assured that their money will be spent wisely. Expenditures to address specific facilities needs of the District will be in compliance with the requirements of Article XIIIA, Section I(b)(3), of the State Constitution and the Strict Accountability in Local School Construction Bonds Act of 2000 (codified at Education Code Sections 15264 and following.)

Evaluation of Needs. The School Board has identified detailed facilities needs of the District and has determined which projects to finance from a local bond at this time. The School Board hereby certifies that it has evaluated safety, class size reduction, enrollment growth, and information technology needs in developing the Bond Project List shown below.

Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee. The School Board shall establish an Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee under Education Code Section 15278 and following to ensure bond proceeds are expended only on the school facilities projects listed below. The committee will be established within 60 days of the date when the results of the election appear in the minutes of the School Board.

Performance Audits. The School Board shall conduct an annual, independent performance audit to ensure that the bond proceeds have been expended only on the school facilities projects listed below.

Financial Audits. The School Board shall conduct an annual, independent financial audit of the bond proceeds until all of those proceeds have been spent for the school facilities projects listed below.

No Administrator Salaries. Proceeds from the sale of bonds authorized by this proposition shall be used only for the construction, reconstruction and/or rehabilitation of school facilities including the furnishing and equipping of school facilities or acquisition or lease of real property for school facilities and not for any other purpose, including teacher and administrator salaries and other school operating expenses.

School Facility Projects to be Funded with Bond Proceeds
Funds from the sale of general obligation bonds issued for the Oceanside Unified School District would be used to finance necessary repairs and upgrades to district schools, as well as to construct replacement facilities or new classrooms required for enrollment growth as needed. The following schools listed below will receive repairs, modernization, upgrades, expansion and new construction as warranted by enrollment and facility usage needs to provide equitable facilities for all Oceanside students:

• Del Rio Elementary
• Ditmar Elementary
• Garrison Elementary
• Ivey Ranch Elementary
• Libby Elementary
• McAuliffe Elementary
• Mission Elementary
• North Terrace Elementary
• Pacifica Elementary
• Palmquist Elementary
• Reynolds Elementary
• San Luis Rey Elementary
• Santa Margarita Elementary
• Stuart Mesa Elementary
• Jefferson Middle *
• Lincoln Middle
• El Camino High *
• Oceanside High *
• Ocean Shores High
• Clair W. Burgener Academy

(*) Bond funding will allow additional modernization projects to be completed at these schools where 2000 bond funds were previously expended.

• Upgrade classrooms including replacing doors, windows, ceilings, wall surfaces, insulation, lighting and flooring as needed.
  
• Replace trailers and older portable classrooms with permanent classrooms or new modular classrooms.
  
• Modernize, repair, upgrade, expand and/or build as needed, libraries, multi-purpose rooms, sheltered lunch areas, kitchens, science and technology labs, locker rooms, gyms, and administrative support buildings.
  
• Renovate student restrooms and provide additional restrooms where needed.
  
• Repair and replace deteriorated plumbing.
  
• Replace roofing where needed.
  
• Upgrade inadequate power supply.
  
• Replace and update electrical wiring and data cables to accommodate technology and computers in classrooms and libraries.
  
• Repair, replace, upgrade and install heating, air conditioning and ventilation to replace out-dated, energy inefficient systems.
  
• Provide access for persons with disabilities.
  
• Provide site improvements to address pedestrian and vehicle access, provide adequate parking, and improve landscaping.
  
• Renovate high school playing fields and rebuild stadiums, including synthetic turf playing fields, all-weather running tracks, rebuild and expand bleachers, and new field lighting at Oceanside High School and El Camino High School, to provide parity with other communities and to allow greater use of the playing fields for physical education instruction, for athletics and for community use.
  
• Build new performing arts classrooms and theater at Oceanside High School and renovate the existing performing arts classrooms and Truax theater at EI Camino High School

Safety Improvements

• Repair, replace, upgrade and install outdoor lighting to increase safety.
  
• Install security systems and replace telephone, fire alarm, and intercom systems.
  
• Complete seismic upgrades.
  
• Improve student drop-off and pick-up areas.
  
• Remove or encapsulate asbestos and/or other hazardous materials.
  
• Rebuild playground equipment at elementary schools to meet current safety standards.
  
• Provide fencing so that classroom buildings can be secured during the school day and after-hours.
  
• Repair, replace and/or upgrade turf and paved surfaces to eliminate safety hazards.
  
• Provide other repairs as necessary to improve student safety.

Project costs for these improvements may include site preparation, installation, engineering and design, project management and related costs. Proceeds from the bonds may be used to furnish and equip the authorized facilities. Allowable project costs also include the cost of issuing the bonds or other securities as allowed by California law, as well as expense for interim financing, including but not limited to financing delivery costs.

Local bond funds will be combined with state bond funds and other revenues to complete these projects, including but not limited to redevelopment funding and joint-use funding.