The following commentary was submitted by the William S. Hart Union High School District.
California voters went to the polls in 2016 and made it clear they wanted elected state officials to spend more money on school construction and passed Proposition 51 to invest $9 billion to upgrade aging buildings, build new schools where needed and build Career Technical Education (CTE) facilities to support better CTE programs. Thanks to the voters passing Prop 51, school districts by now should be hiring workers, putting shovels in the ground and providing students access to campuses that support modern learning environments.
Instead, some school districts are needing to scale back projects and trying to explain to their communities why the state is refusing to release the majority of the money their voters approved.
To date, the Governor has only authorized $640 million in Prop 51 funds in this year’s budget, even in the face of a $3 billion backlog in unprocessed school construction applications. This means the Governor is proposing to only fund 20 percent of the backlog and only expend 9 percent of the K-12 school facility bonds authorized by the voters in 2016.
If the Legislature does not address this in budget negotiations, school districts that submitted school construction applications after October 2014 could be forced to wait until fall 2019 – five years after they first submitted an application — to receive school construction funds. This time lag means that an entire generation of students will be deprived of better school campuses.
Currently, there are $7.5 billion in unsold voter approved bonds that are supposed to be used exclusively to fund school construction projects and specifically to address the current backlog of school construction applications. The Hart School District urges the legislature to take this opportunity and invest in school campuses.
The state has historically authorized the expenditure of similarly sized school facilities bonds within four years of voters passing an initiative. To get back on track, the state needs to sell more than $3 billion Prop 51 bonds by the end of this year. The benefits of doing so are many: job creation as school construction projects get underway; and more students being able to access updated science laboratories, upgraded school libraries and improved technology in the classroom.
Every year, construction costs and interest rates escalate, which diminishes a school district’s purchasing power; this forces school districts to pay more for less in return. Even more concerning, if the state continues to delay the distribution of facility funds, school districts are forced to make impossible budgeting choices: do they divert funds away from educational programming to pay for mission critical facility projects so that classrooms are air conditioned, roofs aren’t leaking and seismic safety retrofits are completed?
With a sizable budget reserve in place and voters mandating that they want schools repaired, no school district should be forced to consider those alternatives. We ask that the legislature respect the will of California voters and make Proposition 51 bond sales a priority in the upcoming budget negotiations. Students deserve campuses that can serve their needs and the adults need to make sure that happens.
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.
All opinions and ideas are welcome. Factually inaccurate, libelous, defamatory, profane or hateful statements are not.
Your words must be your own. All commentary is subject to editing for legibility. There is no length limit, but the shorter,
the better the odds of people reading it. "Local" SCV-related topics are preferred. Send commentary to: LETTERS (at) SCVNEWS.COM. Author's full name, community name, phone number and e-mail address are required. Phone numbers and e-mail addresses are not published except at author's request. Acknowledgment of submission does not guarantee publication.
Last Saturday, I was heartbroken to learn of Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer's murder. The 30-year-old Sheriff's deputy's life was taken from him as he was sitting in his patrol car just outside the Palmdale Sheriff's Station.
The escalating presence of fentanyl in our community and the number of drug-related deaths is steadily increasing every year and has raised deep concerns among parents, caregivers, first responders and community leaders.
As someone who has fought long and hard to preserve the open spaces in and around our City, and proudly serves as your Councilwoman, it is with great pleasure that I announce the Santa Clarita Hiking Challenge for 2023. This challenge will deepen your appreciation for the outdoors as it draws you closer to nature, taking you deeper into the heart of our community.
From the devastating and destructive fires in Maui, to Tropical Storm Hilary hitting Southern California, in an increasingly unpredictable world, natural disasters can occur at any moment.
An art exhibit, My Kind of Town by Justin N. Kim, will be on display at the Canyon Country Community Center, 18410 Sierra Highway, Santa Clarita, CA 91351, now through Dec. 8.
Last Saturday, I was heartbroken to learn of Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer's murder. The 30-year-old Sheriff's deputy's life was taken from him as he was sitting in his patrol car just outside the Palmdale Sheriff's Station.
William S. Hart Union High School District Teacher of the Year Casey Cuny has been honored as one of the top 16 teachers in the county of Los Angeles by the Los Angeles County Office of Education. He is now officially nominated for the California Teacher of the Year.
California State Senator Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, is pleased to announce that the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency has been awarded $5 million to improve sustainable groundwater use and storage through the California Department of Water Resources Sustainable Groundwater Management Grant Program.
The William S. Hart Union High School District Golden Oak Adult School, a pillar of lifelong learning and community support, will celebrate its 75th anniversary with a special celebration on Thursday, Oct. 26.
Completely redesigned and built in-house by the Information Services division, the city of Santa Clarita will launch a new website under the domain of SantaClarita.gov on Monday, Sept. 25.
Help beautify Canyon Country on Saturday, Oct. 7, 9 a.m. to noon, during Canyon Country Community Day. Volunteers will help city of Santa Clarita staff paint walls and re-mulch the parkways on Whites Canyon Road between Stillmore Street and Nadal Street.
Cultural events, local history, incredible art, engaging programs for children, what would you like to see in a possible Santa Clarita Museum and Cultural Center? The City of Santa Clarita is exploring the possibility of developing a Museum and Cultural Center to showcase the community’s rich history, cultural heritage and to celebrate the diversity of the city.
Casino rocker Donny Parvo will appear in Old Town Newhall on Saturday, Sept. 23 with his “The Last Ride of the Load Ranger” tour. This is a one-night-only concert to benefit American Legion Post 507.
The Saugus Union School District Governing Board is seeking applicants to fill the seat of board member Cassandra Love who is resigning her seat as Trustee Area 1 as of Oct. 2.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed Friday 177 new cases and two additional deaths from COVID-19 in the Santa Clarita Valley within the last week.
The Master's University women's volleyball team dominated in a three-set win 25-23, 25-19, 25-16 over the Westcliff Warriors Tuesday night in The MacArthur Center.
Los Angeles County is one of the most diverse counties in the country and the Sheriff’s Department is committed to equally protecting the rights of every member of the community regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, physical disability, mental disability, or gender.
In a match that was dominated by physical midfield play, The Master's University men's soccer team lost a non-conference game to the Vanguard Lions 1-0 Wednesday on Reese Field.
CAMARILLO — College of the Canyons finished in second place, a shot behind tourney host Moorpark College, as the Western State Conference (WSC) event at Sterling Hills Golf Course on Monday.
California State University, Northridge head women's basketball coach Carlene Mitchell has hired Ramia Griffin as the Matadors' director of basketball operations.
LOS ANGELES (CN) — Kevin Eduardo Cataneo Salazar, the man accused of shooting to death Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer, appeared in court for the first time on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.
A Santa Monica man has agreed to plead guilty to breaking federal law by allowing his cryptocurrency-cash exchange company to help scammers and drug traffickers launder millions of dollars in criminal proceeds through his business, including Bitcoin kiosks in Santa Clarita, the Justice Department announced Wednesday.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.
No Comments