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Which schools will benefit from Measure L?
The Tustin school district has newer state-of-the-art
schools in Tustin Ranch and West Irvine, including Beckman High School and
Pioneer Middle School. These
schools have been funded by local Mello Roos taxes on residents in those areas,
which can cost homeowners many thousands of dollars a year.
Measure L is to renovate the older schools in the rest of
the district so that they can provide an equal educational curriculum in the
same manner as in these newer schools, at a cost to a homeowner with an
assessed value of $400,000 of only $95 per year.
Thousands of students attend school every day in buildings
that are 45 or more years old.
Measure L will be used to continue progress on the master
plans for Foothill High School and Tustin High School, which will each get $32
million in Measure L funds.
$31 million will be used at Columbus Tustin, Currie, Hewes
and Utt middle schools and the dozen elementary schools in the older part of
the district on items such as supporting class size reduction and enabling
equity in educational instruction as site feasibility and funding allow.
How well do Tustin Schools use our tax dollars?
TUSD engaged the widely respected firm School Services of
California, Inc. to review the financial condition of the Tustin school
district. Here were some of their
findings:
Tustin operates a “lean administrative model” at both school
and district levels “in all measures of administrative staffing efficiency.”
Ten Tustin schools score top rating of “10” in statewide
testing – all others are above average when compared to schools with similar
populations.
“the District’s budget is on extremely firm ground, due to
solid fiscal management and a conservative philosophy that gathered reserves during
good times to help in tough times.”
Tustin is one of the few districts that did not have to
consider elimination of class size reduction in dealing with this year’s state
budget crisis, due to careful financial planning.
The quality of education provided by Tustin schools are
among the best in the state, and many families buy homes in our neighborhoods
so that their children can go to our high quality schools, which supports our
home property values.
Doesn’t our state budget pay for school facilities?
The operating funds that California provides to our school
district include only limited funds for ongoing maintenance. The state budget does not fund
building renovation of buildings which are 45+ years old in many cases,
improvements required for newer science and technology education needs, or
anything beyond simple repairs and maintenance.
What about Measure G?
Measure G funds have been spent and/or fully committed,
along with millions of additional dollars that the school district was able to bring
to our community from the state because we had Measure G funds available. For detailed written reports on the use
of Measure G funds, contact the Tustin Unified School District at (714)
730-7305.
Will bond money be used for regular maintenance?
Bond money cannot be used for regular maintenance, but only
for lasting renovations and improvements to our schools. TUSD fully funds regular maintenance
out of its operating budget each year as provided by the state budget.
How long will the bond improvements last?
We expect that students will be using the new and renovated
facilities, such as the new Science Centers at Foothill and Tustin High
Schools, fifty years and more from now just as they are using buildings built
fifty years ago every single day. Bonds are generally paid off in twenty five years.
Doesn’t using bonds cost us more money in the long run?
With continued inflation expected in the costs of many raw
materials due to the growing economies in China, India and elsewhere, we will
spend less on interest than we would spend in higher costs if we waited. Bonds will save us money in the
long run, and our students and schools need improved facilities now.
How do we know that the money will be spent properly?
Measure L requires that there be an independent
Citizens Oversight Committee to monitor the use of the funds to assure that
money is spent as intended and that cost savings opportunities are
pursued. Annual audits are also
required.
Past members of the Measure G Citizens Oversight Committee
have given Tustin schools very positive reviews of its management of Measure G
funds. These Citizen Oversight
Committee members have included architects, engineers, taxpayer advocates,
accountants, city treasurer, senior citizens, and homeowners from all
neighborhoods contributing to Measure G and Measure L.
Isn’t the City building a new library without bonds or
taxes?
The city funded the new library with assessments on
and/or “contributions” from
developers who hope to profit from being chosen to develop land on the former
Tustin MCAS base. Our school
district has no such resources to lean upon to modernize school facilities for
our older neighborhoods.
What does the high school site on the Tustin MCAS base
have to do with Measure L?
Nothing. Funding
and building new schools on the base is a completely separate issue.
Measure L is about renovating and modernizing our older
school sites that are many decades old in the most economical, responsible and
prudent manner possible. This
needed modernization will cost a small fraction of the cost of new schools
while providing students in our neighborhoods with educational equity in the
delivery of school curriculum.
Measure L is the right investment at the right time for our community! |