School bonds dominate ballot in Placer, Yolo and El Dorado counties. Here’s what to know
Residents of suburban Sacramento and the Sierra foothills will be faced with a glut of school measures to approve or reject in March 3’s primary election.
Although the largest of these in the capital region is Measure E — a bond which aims to upgrade Los Rios community college campuses in and around Sacramento — eight similar measures in Placer, Yolo and El Dorado counties are being put before voters to seeking repairs in the classroom.
Local bond measures in California require 55 percent approval to pass — unlike Proposition 13, a statewide bond measure which requires a simple majority — while one parcel tax proposition in Yolo would require two-thirds majority.
Here’s a brief look at the school measures in the communities surrounding Sacramento.
Placer County
Measure A: This $49 million school bond measure targets the infrastructure in Eureka Union School District, based in Granite Bay.
The bond would repair and upgrade leaky roofs, aging electrical systems and run-down bathrooms, in addition to upgrading classroom technology. Part of that entails improving essentials like locks, fire alarms and air conditioning units, plus transitioning libraries into multimedia centers.
The measure would increase property taxes in the district, and a homeowner with a house worth $500,000 would pay an estimated $2.76 per week to fund the renovations, according to district leadership.
No argument against the measure was submitted to county election officials.
Measure B: This $4.7 million school bond measure seeks to update facilities in the Colfax Elementary School District.
The bond would improve student access to computers and modernize classrooms. Renovations call for upgraded athletic fields, playgrounds, fire systems and security cameras.
The measure would cost a homeowner with a house worth $500,000 about $2.60 per week in property tax.
No argument against the measure was submitted to county election officials.
Measure C: This $228.4 million school bond measure would repair buildings in the Yuba Community College District, which includes campuses in Yuba, Yolo, Lake, Sutter and Colusa Counties.
The five-campus community college system would receive renovations — mostly classroom repair and expansions.
Projects include upgrading classroom technological capabilities, fixing old plumbing and electrical systems and improving disability accessibility. The improvements are aimed at expanding workforce preparedness programs, such as firefighters’ training, nursing programs and teacher credentialing.
Detractors noted that taxpayers are still paying off millions of dollars from Measure J, passed in 2006.
The measure would cost a homeowner with a house worth $500,000 about $2.40 per week in property tax.
Measure D: This $29 million school bond measure seeks to construct an aquatics center and athletic fields for the Western Placer Unifed School District, based in Lincoln.
The aquatics center would include a hardcourt and a field and would be built at Twelve Bridges High School, a yet-to-be completed school still under construction in Lincoln. It is planned to open in fall 2021.
The measure would cost a homeowner with a house worth $500,000 about $1.06 per week in property tax.
Yolo County
Measure C: Voters in Yolo County will also vote on Measure C, as Woodland Community College falls within its jurisdiction.
Measure G: This measure is not a bond but a parcel tax of $198 per year in order to increase teacher compensation in the Davis Joint Unified School District.
Detractors noted that a $620 per year parcel tax for the district set to last eight years was passed in 2016, and a $150 million bond measure was passed in 2018.
Supporters argue Measure G is necessary to attract and retain faculty.
Residents age 65 or older, recipients of Supplemental Security Income and those receiving Social Security Disability Insurance benefits would be exempted from the parcel tax.
The tax would be levied only on real estate within district boundaries, and would raise an estimated $3 million annually. Unlike others on the list, this measure must receive a two-thirds vote to pass.
El Dorado County
Measure A: This $120 million school bond measure aims to repair schools in the El Dorado Unified High School District, based in Placerville.
The bond would call for improvements to school security systems, repairs to plumbing and electrical systems and updates to classrooms. More specifically, the measure aims to improve and acquire science labs and career preparation facilities, with an emphasis on STEM fields, the arts and trade skills.
The measure would cost a homeowner with a house worth $500,000 about $1.54 per week in property tax.
Measure G: This $75 million school bond measure seeks to repair classrooms in the Rescue Union School District.
The measure would repair leaky roofs, modernize facilities and make improvements to safety systems.
The measure would cost a homeowner with a house worth $500,000 about $2.88 per week in property tax.
Measure H: This $29.8 million school bond measure would upgrade facilities in the Black Oak Mine Unified School District, based in Georgetown.
This measure also calls for roof repairs, as well as upgrading classrooms and restrooms. It calls for renovations to the district’s electrical and plumbing systems as well.
The measure would cost a homeowner with a house worth $500,000 about $4.71 per week in property tax.
