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Election - November 6, 2012
Santa Clara County
Measure I:
East Side Union High School District
Bonds ($120 million)


SVTA recommends a NO vote
against Measure I.


 To upgrade computer/science labs; improve security/safety; repair, equip, and construct classrooms/facilities at Andrew Hill, Calero, Evergreen Valley, Foothill, Independence, James Lick, Mt. Pleasant, Oak Grove, Piedmont Hills, Santa Teresa, Silver Creek, Yerba Buena, W.C. Overfelt, and District adult, alternative, and charter schools; and acquire property for new schools, shall East Side Union High School District issue $120,000,000 of bonds with interest rates below legal limits and no funds for administrator salaries or taken by the State?

You may read the Full Text, Impartial Analysis, and Tax Rate Statement of Measure I here.
 Argument in Favor of Measure I
  Argument Against Measure I
Our local public schools are a critical community asset and should be our number one priority. From higher achieving students to stimulating our local economy to improved housing values, investing in our schools makes a difference.

In February 2008, voters overwhelmingly passed a bond to improve our local high schools. Since that time, renovations have brought hundreds of classrooms up to 21st century education and technology standards. The results are evident. Even in the face of challenging budget cuts, test scores at every comprehensive high school in the District have risen.

But much remains to be done. Your YES vote on Measure I will let us continue the job of providing quality educational facilities while still protecting taxpayers. Here's how:

Measure I will improve our children's classrooms and schools by:

  • Upgrading classrooms with up-to-date computers and technology
  • Constructing new classrooms to reduce student overcrowding
  • Upgrading computer labs throughout the District
  • Repairing and modernizing aging school classrooms/facilities throughout the District
  • Modernizing libraries
  • Meeting restroom and classroom handicap accessibility (ADA) requirements
  • Installing cutting edge instructional technology infrastructure
Measure I makes financial sense and has taxpayer protections in place:

  • No funds can be spent on administrative salaries, benefits or pensions
  • All expenditures will be reviewed by an independent citizens' oversight committee and annually audited
  • Interest rates are at an historic low. By borrowing at these lower rates, taxpayers will save tens of millions of dollars in interest
  • By law, Measure I funds MUST be used for our children's schools and CANNOT BE TAKEN AWAY BY THE STATE AND SPENT ELSEWHERE!
Measure I will improve our children's education, help maintain housing values, stimulate our local economy, and save taxpayers millions of dollars in interest.

Please join us by voting YES on Measure I.

Carl Guardino
President/CEO Silicon Valley Leadership Group

Neil Struthers
CEO, Santa Clara & San Benito Counties Building and Construction Trades

Thanh T. Bui
President/East Side Vietnamese Parent Association

Jethroe Moore II
President, San Jose/Silicon Valley NAACP

Patricia Carrillo, Chairperson, Save Our Sports

East Side Union High School District wants approval of $120 million in bonds because school administrators have failed to properly prioritize and spend our property tax revenue for far too long. The School District needs to reform its spending practices so that the students, not the adults, receive the benefit from our tax money. Vote NO on Measure I.

The School District Budget Task Force has made dozens of recommendations to spend our money more effectively and efficiently. But there is no evidence the School District has accepted those recommendations or made significant changes to its budget-busting spending habits. Instead, the School District wants our permission to borrow $120 million to be spent by the same people who have caused the financial crisis our schools now face.

Unless or until the School District reforms itself and its soaring administrative, salary, and benefit expenses, it has not earned our trust with even more of our money. Property taxes will go up if Measure I passes. Tight controls need to be put in place so that our children directly benefit from the money already received by the School District before more money is thrown at the problems caused by the people who caused those problems and now claim to have the solution through higher taxes.

If Measure I passes, our community will be liable for interest expenses for up to 40 years on $120 million in bonds. Before incurring that debt, we need school administrators to demonstrate a level of responsibility and ethics that is currently missing.

Vote NO on Measure I.

For more information, visit http://www.SVTaxpayers.org/east-side

John W.S. Roeder
President, Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association

Edward Leo Wimmers
Chair, Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County

Rebuttal to
Argument in Favor of Measure I

 Rebuttal to
Argument Against Measure I
When school boards put bond measures like Measure I before the voters, what are they saying? They are admitting that everything they are spending your tax dollars on now, is more important than the projects for which this tax increase is being sought. Budgets set priorities. East Side Union High School District is saying every educational dollar spent today is going to something they consider a higher priority than "modernizing libraries" and "upgrading computer labs throughout the District."

Do you agree?

Education Data Partnership (http://www.Ed-Data.K12.ca.us) shows the District's enrollment declining from 26,915 students during the 2009-10 school year, to 25,676 during 2010-11. And the number of teachers has declined from 1,171.9 full-time-equivalent teachers, down to 1,083.8.

Since the numbers of both students and teachers are down, expenses should be down, too. That should allow more funds from the current budget to be applied to basic maintenance of the schools. In fact, you and I take care of our homes, our condos, and even our apartments out of our yearly budgets. Why can't East Side Union High School District do the same?

School bonds are much like mortgages, in that they have to be paid back, in full--plus interest. Lots and lots of interest. Interest payments that don't go to teachers, library books, computers, maintenance, etc.

Is this the best use of your tax dollars?

If your answer is "no," please vote NO on Measure I.

You can be for schools, for students, for teachers, and against Measure I.

For more information: http://www.SVTaxpayers.org/east-side

John W.S. Roeder
President, Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association

Edward Leo Wimmers
Chair, Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County

 Do not be misled by the argument against Measure I. East Side Union High School District students will receive all of the benefits from Measure I because 100% of the funds will go to improving OUR STUDENT'S CLASSROOMS AND SCHOOLS. Here are the real facts:
  • No funds can be spent on administrative salaries, benefits or pensions.
  • An independent citizens' oversight committee will be legally required to ensure that all Measure I funds are spent as promised to the voters.
  • By law, Measure I funds must be used for OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS and cannot be taken away by the State and spent elsewhere. This guarantees that all funds will stay in OUR COMMUNITY to benefit our students.
  • Interest rates are at a historic low. By borrowing at these lower rates, taxpayers will be able to save millions of dollars in interest costs.
  • A good education is priceless. Measure I is affordable and will only cost the average homeowner about $2.72 a month.
Remember, these are OUR COMMUNITY'S SCHOOLS. They benefit everyone and are a resource that we must protect.

And the benefits of strong public schools go beyond just education. Strong schools help protect housing values, create a stronger local economy and lead to safer neighborhoods.

Providing a quality education for our children is one of the most important gifts we can give them. They are the leaders of tomorrow and need our support.

Please join us and vote YES on Measure I

Muhammed Chaudhry ?br> President & CEO, Silicon Valley Education Foundation

Hoa Trung Nguyen
Chairman, Vietnamese Parent Association of Santa Clara County

Rose Amador; President, Center for Training and Careers

Jon D. Reinke
Former Chairman, ESUHSD Citizens Bond Oversight Committee

Andres Quintero
Vice Chair, San Jose International Airport Commission





Paid for by the Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association PAC.

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