Will Fresno voters support another $500 million bond for city schools?

In 2016 Simi Valley schools passed a bond—but said in a few years they will come back for more.  It looks like Fresno schools are doing the same.  In 2020 they got a bond, now four years later they are coming back for another $500 million (one billion including interest)

“Fresno Unified already has one of the highest tax rates of any K-12 district in the area. But with a growing list of deferred maintenance projects and a new agreement with the teachers union promising smaller class sizes, the district is weighing whether to appeal to voters for more funding.

Fresno Unified is weighing whether to ask voters this November to pass another bond measure aimed at facilities improvements – but one trustee raised questions about whether “bond fatigue” could hamper the effort.

A staff presentation to the school board Monday proposed a $500 million bond, which would mean a $25 increase per $100,000 of assessed property value in the tax rate for property owners to a total of $238.86 per year. The current rate is $213.86.”

Why?  Because they allowed the unions to set policy, now there is no money for repairs and safety.  Can the people of Fresno afford paying off the unions—in exchange for failing schools?  Looks like they need a new school board.  One that represents the parents and students, not the unions and special interests.

Will Fresno voters support another $500 million bond for city schools?

The district has until Aug. 9 to get the bond ready for the November ballot.

by Julianna Morano, Fresnoland,  4/30/24  https://fresnoland.org/2024/04/30/will-fresno-voters-support-another-500-million-bond-measure-for-city-schools/?utm_medium=email

What’s at stake?

Fresno Unified already has one of the highest tax rates of any K-12 district in the area. But with a growing list of deferred maintenance projects and a new agreement with the teachers union promising smaller class sizes, the district is weighing whether to appeal to voters for more funding.

Fresno Unified is weighing whether to ask voters this November to pass another bond measure aimed at facilities improvements – but one trustee raised questions about whether “bond fatigue” could hamper the effort.

A staff presentation to the school board Monday proposed a $500 million bond, which would mean a $25 increase per $100,000 of assessed property value in the tax rate for property owners to a total of $238.86 per year. The current rate is $213.86.

Fresno Unified, the state’s third-largest district with over 70,000 students and the largest in the Central Valley, already has the second-highest tax rate of all K-12 districts in Fresno County, according to the district’s hired consulting firm FM3 Research.

The bond talk was brought on partly by the district’s new contract with the Fresno Teachers Association. The deal came not only with big raises for educators but also language agreeing to let the union help set priorities for a third of proceeds from a potential bond.

Union leaders Monday said they’re hoping part of that funding will go toward building more classrooms as well as confidential meeting spaces for students to meet with mental health staff.

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“This is part of a three-pronged approach in regards to addressing classroom needs for our educators on campus,” said Manuel Bonilla, president of FTA.

“For this, the long-term approach is to be able to expand the space within our school district.”

Proceeds from the bond would also likely be used for improvements to existing campuses, district staff said.

Results from a community survey of over 800 respondents that FM3 Research conducted in January suggested most voters would support another bond measure, with 43% of respondents saying there’s “great need” for more funding and 28% saying there’s “some need.”

Some of the top funding priorities for survey respondents included providing safe drinking water at schools, repairing leaky roofs, improving safety measures, and replacing aging HVAC systems.

Despite the favorable polling, Trustee Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas said she’s concerned about how the district’s bid would fare if there are multiple bonds on the November ballot. 

Staff said they plan to conduct another survey in May to better assess whether that might change voters’ minds.

The survey may also include a question about Measure E, staff said – another education-related measure that failed in this year’s March primary. The proposed one-fifth-cent sales tax was supposed to fund improvements to Fresno State’s aging facilities.

Fresno Unified’s most recent attempt to pass a bond with voters was successful. In March 2020, the district received 60% approval from voters for Measure M – clearing the 55% required for the bond to pass.

The $325 million bond has funded improvements to campuses across the district, and there are several more projects planned, staff said Monday. That includes a second gym and tennis courts for McLane High School, improvements to Bullard High School’s HVAC system and fence, and deferred maintenance at over a dozen other schools.

But other projects, such as a second gym for Roosevelt High School, are on hold until the district secures additional funding.

Some Bullard-area residents appeared hesitant about supporting a bond measure, voicing frustration that the upgraded fence they’ve been requesting for years has yet to materialize even after the passage of Measure M.

“If this board doesn’t fund the fence, despite having already promised it and campaigned on it in the previous iteration of the measure,” said City Councilmember Mike Karbassi, whose district overlaps with the Bullard region, “then what I really worry is that the voters will question the need for another bond measure, much like they questioned the value of Measure E, and feel there’s a bait and switch.” 

The district has until Aug. 9 to file with the Fresno County Registrar of Voters in order to put a bond measure on the November 2024 ballot.