Political consultants know the odds of passing bond measures increase during a presidential election when voter turnout is higher. That’s why school districts in Ceres, Hughson, Keyes and elsewhere in Stanislaus County are taking full advantage of the Nov. 5 general election to ask voters to pay more in taxes on their property tax bill to improve school campuses.
Presidential elections historically bring out folks who don’t ordinarily vote and they tend to be younger people who rent versus own properties and thus are more apt to support bond measures.
Voters in Ceres will be deciding on a bond measure put forth by the Ceres Unified School District. The proposed measure, billed as the “Ceres Unified School District Campus Safety / Classroom Repair Measure,” would levy $60 per $100,000 of assessed property value annually for approximately 30 years. The tax bill for the median tax assessment value of $238,855 in Ceres would pay about $140 per year. Those with an assessed value of $300,000 would pay an extra $180 on their annual property tax bill.
To pass, Measure Y must receive a 55 percent plus none majority “yes” vote.
If CUSD voters approve, the measure will authorize the issuance of $114 million in bonds to repair or upgrade Ceres elementary, middle, and high schools; improve campus safety and security systems; repair or replace leaky roofs, upgrade outdated heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical systems; repair or replace deteriorating portable classrooms; and update classroom equipment and learning technology.
New Ceres Unified School District Superintendent Amy Peterman said if Measure Y passes, the School Board will prioritize where the funds should be spent but the first set of projects planned will be replacing portable classrooms on campuses, including Carroll Fowler, Sam Vaughn, Virginia Parks, Mae Hensley, Ceres High School and Argus/Endeavor High.
“We’ve got over $160 million worth of projects on a list for a $112 million bond so not everything will get done even if the bond passes,” said Peterman. “We’ll have to do different phases and then pick and choose which pieces of the different projects will be part of the bond.”
New classroom wings are also needed at a number of other campuses, including Carroll Fowler, Caswell, Don Pedro, Sam Vaughn, Virginia Parks, Westport elementary schools and Blaker Kinser and Mae Hensley junior high schools. New additions of offices and libraries are also on the list for the newer campuses of Patricia Kay Beaver, Hidahl and Berryhill campuses.
Peterman said that passage of the bond would mean the district would be in line for some matching funds from the state.
Hughson bond measure
Voters in the Hughson Unified School District will be deciding whether or not to approve Measure B, a $46 million bond measure to repair or replace leaking roofs and outdated HVAC systems, plumbing and electrical systems; improve student safety and campus security; add classrooms to prevent overcrowding; renovate science labs; and replace the over 100-year-old agricultural science/shop building at Hughson High School. The bond would result in a tax assessment averaging $60 per $100,000 assessed value.
Keyes bond measures
The Keyes Union School District is placing Measure U on the ballot that would result in the issuance of $8.5 million in bonds. Approval would mean a flush of $515,000 annually for the district to spend on modernizing outdated classrooms, restrooms and school facilities, building classrooms to replace outdated portables, repair and replace leaky roofs, and making health, safety and security improvements.
Keyes Fire Protection District voters will be asked to weigh in on Measure H to issue $7 million in bonds to replace the outmoded Keyes Fire Station and buy new equipment. Passage would result in property owners paying a tax levy of $29 per $100,000 of assessed valuation on average on their property tax bills. District officials say the average property owner would pay about $120 extra per year to pay off the bond.
Chief Royjinder Singh said the “Emergency Response, Fire Protection and Facilities Improvement Bond” measure is needed because the current Keyes Fire Station was built in the early 1960s and is inadequate to serve the growing and modern public safety needs of the Keyes area. While the station may look nice, Singh said it is antiquated and undersized.
Elsewhere in the county
Elsewhere in Stanislaus County, bond measure questions will be answered by voters in the Oakdale Joint Unified School District (Measure G), Riverbank (Measure , Salida Union (Measure Q), Stanislaus Union School District (Measure R), Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District (Measures S and T), Modesto City Schools (Measure X), Waterford Unified (Measure W) and Denair Unified (Measure Z).
In the November 2022 election, 71 school bond measures in California succeeded while 28 failed. One that succeeded in Stanislaus County was Patterson’s Measure E which enacted an assessment of $57 per $100,000 of assessed valuation. The $74 million bond measure passed with a 60.3 percent voter majority.
CUSD voters still paying
Property owners in CUSD are still paying assessments on Measure U passed by the voters in 2008. The last series of Measure U bonds were sold in 2017. Final repayment is 2051. The Measure U 2023-24 tax rate is $47.74 per $100,000 of assessed value.
Taxpayers are also still paying on 2001 Measure J bonds, which are expected to fall off in nine years. The 2023-24 tax rate is $38.27 per $100,000 of assessed value.
The assessments on the proposed new bond issuance would fall off in 2057-58.
Cannabis tax
Stanislaus County voters will be asked to decide the fate of Measure P, the Cannabis Business Tax measure. The tax would affect only cannabis businesses in the unincorporated areas. Proposed is a 4 percent tax on gross receipts, 8 percent on retail gross receipts, the greater of 4% cultivation gross receipts or $8 per canopy square foot.
The cannabis tax would generate about $1.7 million annually to be spent in general use, including strengthening neighborhood safety, community enhancement, combating illegal marijuana grows, and drug prevention and treatment.
