OCEANSIDE

school site.” Earlier last year, several sinkholes opened up at Garrison Elementary School, caused by corrosion of the storm drain system. Students were relocated to San Luis Rey Elementary, which faces its own problems with deteriorating facilities. In April, the district voted to sell the Garrison site and upgrade the San Luis Rey.

“If the past year has taught us anything, it is that it is important to have longterm planning and the ability to be responsive to changing situations,” Oceanside School Board Member Eric Joyce said. “One of our schools was lost to sink holes and our multi-year tech plan was collapsed by our pivot to distance learning in the midst of the pandemic. Measure W funds will be utilized with the guidance of our staff ’s long-term plans and our community’s contemporary input.”

Ballot language for the measure does not include a list of specific projects by school site, or an order of priority for those repairs. Matthew Jennings, communications director for the district, said the language, which states the categories of projects included, but not specific sites, complies with state law. The district’s fact sheet on the measure said that if the measure is approved, officials would focus first on safety and security upgrades, and develop a schedule for projects.

Although the district did not include a site-specific list of projects in the ballot language, it did provide a sample list to the San Diego County Taxpayers Association. The potential projects it cited included modernization of Reynolds, Mcauliffe, Ivey Ranch and Stuart Mesa Elementary Schools, modernization of Martin Luther King Middle School, upgrades to the Truax Theater at El Camino High School, turf replacement at El Camino

and Oceanside High Schools, a new Oceanside High parking structure, and districtwide playground surfacing, security measures, heating and cooling, roofing and paving.

Jennings said that the list submitted to the Taxpayers Association is not a final document, but a “very good ‘draft’ ” of potential projects, which would be subject to revision as the district reviews its facility needs. It’s not a legally binding commitment to those specific projects, and therefore wasn’t included in the ballot language.

The San Diego County Taxpayers Association opposed Measure W, stating that its analysis found the proposal too vague, and citing a list of shortfalls including: “Concerns over project lists and costs. Costs not broken down specifically by project. Leaves too much wiggle room for allocating funds for other projects. Mention of sale of property, but not recognized in the proposal what that property is or appraised value. Most information was from 2017. Could not determine the amount spent currently or plans to spend on deferred maintenance.”

Jennings said that the district was disappointed by the Taxpayers Association’s decision, but said the district still has pressing facility needs, which total more than $300 million.

“Measure W is a proposal to address the most critical facilities needs and create learning environments that will provide the very best education possible,” Jennings said. “The longer we wait to address these needs, the more expensive they will be. It is important to remember that, all Measure W funds stay local right here in Oceanside, and all funds must go to school facilities. None of the Measure W funds can be taken away by the state or used for other purposes.”