California election results: Measure A in DSUSD has 57% approval in unofficial returns
Pencils down, the polls have closed and results for Measure A have dropped. With all 72 precincts reporting, the $675 million general obligation bond — aimed to repair and modernize classrooms and other school facilities at Desert Sands Unified School District — has 57.6% approval, as of Friday evening. Measure A requires 55% approval from local voters to pass.
"Desert Sands Unified School District would like to thank the community for their support. We share your commitment to providing quality education to the children entrusted to our care," said Mary Perry, the district's public information officer, in an emailed statement.
According to the Riverside County Registrar of Voters office, an estimated 90,000 vote-by-mail and 3,200 same-day voter registration — also known as conditional voter registration — ballots have yet to be processed, as well as ballots that were postmarked on or before Election Day. The next update will be released around 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 9.
What is Measure A?
Measure A seeks to repair and modernize classrooms and other school facilities to meet educational, career industry and accessibility compliance standards that will support student achievement. Part of that entails improving essentials like adding adequate shade structures and upgrading the HVAC systems at schools to mitigate higher temps in the Coachella Valley.
Passing the measure will not increase property taxes per se, but rather extend the current tax rate, which was previously approved at $75 per $100,000 of assessed property valuation — a combination of previous authorizations from Measure K and Measure KK.
In 2001, Measure K, a $450 million general obligation bond, was approved by more than 80% of voters. The renovation of Indio High School was the last project funded with the Measure K funds. In 2014, voters approved Measure KK, a $225 million general obligation bond. An update on Measure KK was provided during study session at Tuesday's board of education meeting.
"As we're winding down with (the Measure KK funds), if we don't have the funding to maintain a lot of the facility needs that we have, there's no other source or revenue stream that allows us that kind of ability," said Jordan Aquino, DSUSD's assistant superintendent of business services.
After the earlier two bonds are paid off in 2044 and if Measure A is approved by voters, the tax rate would lessen to $60 per $100,000 of assessed property (not market rate) valuations through 2054.
Should Measure A receive voter approval, DSUSD would look to its long-range facilities master plan, as well as the school board and community, for direction. The plan provides an overview of the district's needs, projects construction costs with inflation in mind and identifies the highest-priority school sites "with respect to the last time that the district went into that school to modernize it to meet current needs," Aquino said.
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The district also plans to maximize state funding through the bond measure by qualifying its high-priority school sites for future state matching funds to assist in the modernization of its facilities. In order to qualify for a state-funded modernization project, schools must demonstrate significant needs and must have reached the 25-year mark. If all criteria is met, school districts can receive financial support from the state through a 60/40 matching program.
"We are a service industry, so basically everything we do in our (general fund) budget is tied to people ... and so it doesn't leave a lot of room for other things," he said. "That's why we look to the community for local measures."
This is a developing story.
Jennifer Cortez covers education in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at jennifer.cortez@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: California election: Measure A would fund Desert Sands Unified
