CUSD claims that they need this money to fix the schools in Aliso Viejo and they want

your money to do it - even though about a third of students using the AV schools don't

live in AV.

 

Measure G adds a new tax to property taxes for ONLY those folks who live in AV.   (They are not asking anyone from Laguna Niguel because they found their polling didn't work there!).  The bonds for this area will cost over $213 MILLION to repay and the majority of the costs will be to fix the deferred maintenance - which is NOT what the bonds are supposed to be used for. The actual proposition language says that all bonds MUST be for capital investments that are intended to provide value for at least 36 years - not 'technology', or 'paint', or 'roofs', 'plumbing' repairs and other deferred maintenance.

 

The rules demand that bond funds can only be used for "capital facilities that will outlast the term of the bond." and that "All projects funded must last until 120% of time it takes to repay the bonds.  For example, if it takes 30 years to repay the bonds, anything built with bond dollars must last a minimum of 36 years."  Thus, all these deferred maintenance items including, roofs, repainting, plumbing repairs, air conditioning, and technology upgrades do not meet the capital facilities requirements!

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Also, did you know that we are a 'Declining Enrollment' district?  This means that there are less and less kids in the schools - and there is a giant pool of 'reserves' that are not being discussed - and remember - the State has now declared that they have a $97 BILLION dollar surplus - yet they won't fund our schools?  Don't fall for the 'It's for the Kids'.  This is all about providing for the Union for their next negotiation. 

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There remain so many issues with the way the measures were put together, the polling that the District has done, the marketing of the bonds (with taxpayer dollars), the gerrymandering of the voters into odd 'areas' that don't match the Board Member Areas, the growth of the internal reserves, etc...  it just goes on and on.  

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But, wait!  What about the claims that there are no alternatives? Those surely are capital investments and are a good use for bonded debt, right? 

 

Well, we are not opposed to capital investments - BUT, these money grabs are NOT for capital improvements - they are for repairs.  Further, the District says they have no money. This is a forced paupers condition.  They have emptied out their reserves -and given it to the unions over the last 5 years.  The fact that the VAST majority of the funding is to cover the mismanagement of the taxpayer money by giving it to the unions instead of investing it on the deferred maintenance and the technology improvements that should have been paid through state-specific funding is not something we can accept.