Results on taxes, measures mixed.
Mail-in ballots give ‘No’ a wide lead on $15B school bond
Proposition 13, which aims to raise $15 billion in bonds for improvements to facilities serving students throughout California, was floundering in early results Tuesday night.
David Wolfe, legislative director of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which opposes the measure, expressed cautious optimism as “no” votes took a wide lead. Mail-in ballots tend to trend more conservative than does the final count, he noted, adding, “But we are very pleased so far.”
If approved, the money would go toward safety upgrades and modernization at prekindergarten through grade 12 schools, community colleges and universities.
For the more than 100 school districts with local bonds on the ballot, as well as those that already passed measures, Proposition 13 would provide a potential source to double their money. As a general rule, the state requires districts to raise their own capital before applying for matching funds.
“Proposition 13 and local bonds go hand in hand,” said Tony Wold, an associate superintendent at West Contra Costa Unified School District — which seeks to raise $575 million with its Measure R. “But we knew the state proposition was going to be a challenge because of its nomenclature.”
Although it received strong bipartisan support in the California Assembly, the initiative has not been a shoo-in with voters. Due to its confusing name, some suspect a sneaky attempt to relax restrictions afforded by 1978’s Proposition 13, which caps annual property tax assessments.
But the 2020 Proposition 13 has nothing to do with that sacrosanct property tax reform. The bond would be paid off out of the state’s general fund at $740 million a year, spread over 35 years — covering the principal plus an estimated $11 billion in interest.
“It’s been hurt by a great deal of misinformation,” said Tim Taylor, executive director of the Small School Districts’ Association. “The early results are very disappointing, but we hope it comes through.”
Traditionally, the state doles out money to districts on a first-come, firstserved basis. But Proposition 13 would prioritize rural and lower-income districts, which face difficulty qualifying for matching funds.
Should Proposition 13 fail, expect to see another like it sooner than later, Wold said: “If voters say no,” he said, “schools will still have billions of dollars in repairs that need to be made.”