School bond before voters in June

Angelique Flores

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- The community will see a bond measure on the

ballot on June 5.

After 10 years of study and preparation, the Huntington Beach City

School District unanimously approved to proceed with a bond election to

help repair its aging schools.

“I’m so excited,” said Board President Brian Rechsteiner. “We needed

the money so badly. Now we can take a step and move forward.”

The schools are more than 25 years old, with some buildings having

been in use for 40 years. The main building at Dwyer Middle School has

been in use for 67 years.

“Some rooms only have two electrical outlets, pipes are old, buildings

are old,” said Trustee Shirley Carey. “We’ll restore the schools and put

them it into the 2000s.”

The district needs about $41.6 million worth of repairs and upgrades,

including the replacement of broken and deteriorating water and sewer

systems, old roofs, classroom fire and smoke alarm systems, electrical

systems and air-conditioning systems. It also needs to add modern

technology.

“The schools should be parallel to the quality of life that people

want to be living here,” Carey said.

To help pay for the repairs, the bond will cost taxpayers $16 a year

per $100,000 of assessed value of a home. Property taxpayers would pay

the extra money for 30 years.

Consultants advised the district that state money is the key to

getting the the repairs done. The district is eligible for $20.8 million

in state funds, but it must come up with $4.1 million on its own to get

that money. That 20% match and the remainder not paid for by state funds

could be covered by a $25-million bond.

With applications in to the state and clearances going through the

Department of State Architects, the district is already in the queue to

receive bond money. District officials expect a $15 billion to $17

billion bond issue from the state in March.

Two surveys, one in the fall and another last spring, showed strong

support for a bond measure. In addition to voter support, a volunteer

support base has been secured as well as endorsements from Council

members, city officials and prominent business owners.

The district has not heard much opposition to a bond until now.

“I’m very discouraged that they want to squander money on a special

election which is entirely unnecessary,” said Bob Dingwall, a 40-year

resident and spokesman for the West Orange County Taxpayers Assn.

While a special election will cost the district a little more than a

regularly scheduled one, a campaign committee will raise funds needed for

the election as well as the campaigning, said Jerry Buchanan, assistant

superintendent of administrative services. No district funds will be

used.

The district will likely pursue a two-thirds voter requirement. If the

district opted for a 55% voter requirement, as under recently enacted

Proposition 39, the district would have to wait until the next regularly

scheduled election in March 2002 to put the bond on the ballot.

If the bond fails, the district may come back to the voters again with

a 55% requirement or apply for hardship money from the state, which the

district would qualify for after a failed bond election.