fresno elections 2008

KERMAN UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
BOND MEASURE K
FULL TEXT OF MEASURE

This proposition may be known and referred to as the Kerman Unified School District 2008 School Improvement Bond or Measure K.
FINDINGS
The Kerman Unified School District (the “District”), which serves the community of Kerman and portions of unincorporated Fresno County, is a recognized leader in providing top quality education to Fresno County students for over 84 years. Recently, Kerman Floyd Elementary School was recognized as a Title 1 Achieving School.
In 2004, voters in Kerman Unified School District passed Measure “K”. The District has used Measure “K” funds to successfully leverage over $5 million from the State to build classrooms, libraries, and the high school multipurpose room.
We now need to build a new elementary school to reduce student overcrowding at Kerman-Floyd and Sun Empire elementary schools. The District qualifies for an additional $8 million in state matching funds to build the new elementary school. We also need to build a new auto shop so high school students can have access to modern facilities and improved learning opportunities. Not everyone goes to college. Therefore, we need to provide opportunities for students to pursue good paying technical jobs right after high school by building vocational education facilities, such as the auto shop. We also need to complete Liberty Intermediate by building a multipurpose room for school and community use, and build additional support facilities to improve access to student language, and Gifted and Talented Education programs.
The District continues to seek all available outside sources of funding to improve our school buildings, including local, state, and federal grants, state joint-use grants, and state bond funds. However, these sources are not sufficient to meet our facilities needs. It is necessary to seek voter approval of a bond measure in order to provide the local funding for the identified school facilities.
BOND AUTHORIZATION
By approval of this proposition by at least 55 percent of the registered voters voting on the proposition, the District shall be authorized to issue and sell bonds of up to $24,900,000 in principal at interest rates below the legal limit, to provide financing for the specific school facilities projects listed in the Bond Project List attached hereto as Exhibit A-1, subject to all the accountability requirements specified below.
BOND PROJECT LIST
The Bond Project List attached to this resolution as Exhibit A-1 shall be considered a part of the ballot proposition and shall be reproduced in any official document required to contain the full statement of the bond proposition.
Approval of this Bond Measure (the “Measure”) does not guarantee that the proposed project or projects in the District that are the subject of bonds under the Measure will be funded beyond the local revenues generated by the Measure. If state matching funds become available, they will be used for and applied to the Bond Project List as per Exhibit A-1. The District’s proposal for the project or projects assumes the receipt of matching state funds, which could be subject to appropriation by the Legislature or approval of a statewide bond measure.
ACCOUNTABILITY REQUIREMENTS
The provisions in this section are specifically included in this proposition in order that the voters and taxpayers in the District may be assured that their money will be spent wisely to address specific facilities needs of the District all in compliance with the requirements of Article XIIIA, Section 1(b)(3), of the State Constitution and the Strict Accountability in Local School Construction Bonds Act of 2000 (codified at Education Code Sections 15264 and following.)
Evaluation of Needs. The Board, after a year long process involving staff members, parents, students, and community members at each school site throughout the District, has prepared an updated facilities plan in order to evaluate and address all of the facilities needs of the District and determine which projects to finance from a local bond at this time. The Board hereby certifies that it has evaluated safety, class size reduction, enrollment growth, and information technology needs in developing the Bond Project List contained in Exhibit A-1.
Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee. The Board shall establish an Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee pursuant to Education Code Section 15278 and following to ensure bond proceeds are expended only on the school facilities projects listed in Exhibit A-1. The committee shall be established within 60 days of the date when the results of the election appear in the minutes of the Board.
Performance Audits. The Board shall conduct an annual, independent performance audit to ensure that the bond proceeds have been expended only on the school facilities projects listed in Exhibit A-1.
Financial Audits. The Board shall conduct an annual, independent financial audit of the bond proceeds until all of those proceeds have been spent for the school facilities projects listed in Exhibit A-1.
Special Bond Proceeds Account: Annual Report to Board. Upon approval of this proposition and the sale of any bonds approved, the Board shall take actions necessary to establish an account in which proceeds of the sale of bonds will be deposited. As long as any proceeds of the bonds remain unexpended, the Superintendent of the District shall cause a report to be filed with the Board annually, stating (1) the amount of bond proceeds received and expended in that year, and (2) the status of any project funded or to be funded from bond proceeds. The report may relate to the calendar year, fiscal year, or other appropriate annual period as the Superintendent shall determine and may be incorporated in the annual budget, audit, or another appropriate routine report to the Board.
FURTHER SPECIFICATIONS
No Administrator Salaries. Proceeds from the sale of bonds authorized by this proposition shall be used only for the construction, reconstruction and/or rehabilitation of school facilities including the furnishing and equipping of school facilities or acquisition or lease of real property for school facilities and construction management by district personnel and not for any other purpose, including teacher and administrator salaries and other school operating expenses.
The proceeds of the bonds will be deposited into a Building Fund to be held by the Fresno County Treasurer, as required by the California Education Code.

IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS BY COUNTY COUNSEL
Voter approval of this measure will authorize the governing board of the Kerman Unified School District to issue and sell bonds up to Twenty-Four Million Nine Hundred Thousand Dollars ($24,900,000), bearing interest at legal rates, with a citizen's oversight committee, annual audits, and no funds spent on administrator salaries. The bond proceeds will be used to acquire, construct, and improve classrooms and student support facilities, including a new elementary school to reduce overcrowding, vocational and technical education classrooms, and a multi-purpose room at Liberty Intermediate School.
s/ Dennis A. Marshall
County Counsel

TAX RATE STATEMENT
An election will be held in the Kerman Unified School District (the “District”) on June 3, 2008 to authorize the sale of up to $24.9 million in bonds of the District to finance school facilities as described in the Measure. Principal and interest on the bonds will be payable from the proceeds of tax levies made upon the taxable property in the District. The following information is submitted in compliance with Sections 9400-9404 of the Elections Code of the State of California.
1. The best estimate of the tax which would be required to fund this bond issue during the first fiscal year after the sale of the first series of bonds, based on estimated assessed valuations available at the time of filing of this statement, is $0.907 per $100 ($9.07 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2009-10.
2. The best estimate of the tax which would be required to be levied to fund this bond issue during the first fiscal year after the sale of the last series of bonds, based on estimated assessed valuations available at the time of filing of this statement, is $2.491 per $100 ($24.91 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2018-19.
3. The best estimate of the highest tax rate that would be required to be levied to fund this bond issue, based on estimated assessed valuations available at the time of filing this statement, is 5.300 cents per $100 ($53.00 per $100,000), the current voter-approved tax rate.
Voters should note that the estimated tax rates are based on the ASSESSED VALUE of taxable property on the County’s official tax rolls, not on the property’s market value. Property owners should consult their own property tax bills to determine their property’s assessed value and any applicable tax esemptions.
Attention of all voters is directed to the fact that the foregoing information is based upon the District’s projections and estimates only,which are not binding upon the District. The actual tax rates and the years in which they will apply may vary from those presently estimated, due to variations from these estimates in the timing of bond sales, the amount of bonds sold and market interest rates at the time of each sale, and actual assessed valuations over the term of repayment of the bonds. The dates of sale and the amount of bonds sold at any given time will be determined by the District based on the need for construction funds and other factors. The actual interest rates at which the bonds will be sold will depend on the bond market at the time of each sale. Actual future assessed valuation will depend upon the amount and value of taxable property within the District as determined by the County Assessor in the annual assessment and the equalization process.
Dated: March 4, 2008
s/ Roger Halberg
Superintendent
Kerman Unified School District

ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
In Kerman, schools are the heart of our growing community. Over the past four years, Kerman Unified School District has constructed and improved school facilities while garnering $5 million in State matching grants. In the same period, test scores have risen nearly 12%. That’s a good use of local tax dollars.
However, facilities needs remain. A new elementary school is needed to relieve existing student overcrowding at all three elementaries. Liberty Intermediate School needs to be completed. Not everyone goes to college, so we also need to build vocational education facilities for Kerman students to pursue good paying technical jobs right after high school. Adequate school facilities are the key to opportunities and a better life.
A YES VOTE ON MEASURE “K” WILL:
· Build a new elementary school to reduce student overcrowding
· Build vocational and technical classroom facilities to improve career opportunities for all students
· Complete Liberty Intermediate by building a multipurpose room for school and community use
MEASURE “K” MAKES FINANCIAL SENSE BY:
· Providing the local match for up to $8 million in State construction funds
· Building school facilities now, instead of later, when they will cost more
· Improving local property values and maintaining the desirability of our community
As taxpayers, it is crucial to have high quality local public schools with adequate facilities.
MEASURE ‘K’ HAS TAXPAYER SAFEGUARDS, INCLUDING:
· An independent citizens’ oversight committee of local business leaders, parents, senior citizens, and taxpayer advocates
· Annual financial and performance audits to ensure funds are only spent on voter-approved projects
· Requirements the funds be used only to improve schools – not to pay employee salaries
JOIN FARMERS, PARENTS LOCAL BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITY LEADERS IN COMPLETING OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS!
TUESDAY, JUNE 3rd, VOTE YES ON MEASURE ‘K’!
s/ Glen R. Foth
Board President
s/ Meg Winchester
s/ Daniel R. Safreno
President: Bond Committee
s/ Julie Perry-Gragnani
Teacher/Parent
s/ Susan Kissinger
Florist Owner

NO ARGUMENT AGAINST THIS MEASURE WAS FILED