14,150 / 83.06% Yes votes ...... 2,886 / 16.94% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Approval of Measure I would authorize the Compton Unified School District ("District") to issue up to $80,000,000 in general obligation bonds.

Funds received from the sale of the bonds would be used only for the construction, rehabilitation and equipping of District facilities, or the acquisition or lease of real property for District facilities. No funds may be used for teacher or administrator salaries, or other school operating expenses.

As required by law, the Board of Trustees of the District ("Board of Trustees") has adopted a list of the specific school facilities projects to be funded by the sale of the bonds. The Board of Trustees will conduct annual, independent financial and performance audits to ensure that funds received from the sale of the bonds will have been expended only on the specific projects listed, and will appoint a citizen's oversight committee to inform the public on expenditures.

The bonds would be issued and sold at an interest rate not to exceed the maximum rate allowed by law, and would be repaid by a property tax levied upon real property located within the District over a period not to exceed forty (40) years.

This Measure requires a fifty-five percent (55%) vote for passage.

NOTICE TO VOTERS

Approval of Measure I does not guarantee that the proposed project or projects in the Compton Unified School District that are the subject of bonds under Measure I will be funded beyond the local revenues generated by Measure I. The school district's proposal for the project or projects may assume the receipt of matching state funds, which could be subject to appropriation by the Legislature or approval of a statewide bond measure.

Classrooms and science labs are worn and outdated. Safety systems are inadequate. Plumbing and sewer lines are falling apart. Dozens of portables have been added to relieve overcrowding. Incandescent lighting is dim, and heating and ventilating systems from the 1960's drain energy and budgets.

Measure I will:

Upgrade all schools for safety and security

Repair and renovate old, outdated classrooms and science labs

Add permanent classrooms and two new elementary schools to relieve overcrowding

Upgrade electrical capacity for safety and better access to technology

Rehabilitate badly deteriorated restrooms, plumbing and corroded sewer lines

Upgrade fire alarms, bells, clocks, and other security systems

Replace old, inefficient lighting, energy, heating and ventilation systems

Repair and replace old playground equipment

Upgrade building exteriors, outdoor lighting, fencing, walkways and school grounds for safety and security

No Measure I funds can be used for administrative overhead.

All Measure I funds will stay in Compton to improve the quality of education for local children. By law, every Measure I dollar must go directly into safety repairs and facility upgrades.

Measure I will qualify our community to receive over $60,000,000 in State matching funds for new school improvements.

Measure I is tax deductible. Quality schools help maintain property values.

Measure I will make Compton schools safer, healthier and more inspiring for our children. Please join parents, teachers, principals, community leaders and caring citizens throughout Compton in voting YES on I.

REV. ISADORE HALL, III
Compton Unified School District Board President

MERVYN DYMALLY
US Congressman (Ret.)

MARJORIE A. SHIPP
Retired Teacher

FATHER STAN BOSCH
Priest

Did you know that three of the four people who signed the argument in favor do not pay property taxes in the district? And it is questionable if two of them even live in the district.

Did you know that approximately $80 thousand dollars would go to people who put this deal together?

Did you know the district has plans for a new administrative building, which will not benefit our children?

Did you know that the School District is building a new school now? Why aren't they using that money to fix those problems now? 95% of the property owners that I talked to are against this MEASURE?

The College Bond Issue for $100 million dollars will have an assessment of approximately $25.00 per $100,000.00 of assessed value for 15 years and the Compton Unified School District's Bond Issue for $80 million dollars will have an assessment of approximately $59.00 per $100,000.00 of assessed value for 32 years. As you know if you have a shorter pay-off period, the month/yearly payment is more not less. We are tired of Voodoo Accounting and Creative Financing.

The truth is they do not know what it is going to cost us.

The measure says that we will qualify for matching state funds. Why would the State give us anything after we authorize the Board to borrow $80,000,000.00 (80 million)?

PLEASE VOTE NO ON MEASURE I

CHARLES DAVIS
Compton City Clerk

Our property taxes will increase on average of about $150 to $200 and some properties $3,000.00 to $5,000.00 per year. We will have to pay this new tax for the next 32 years, from 2002 through 2034.

Did you know that we, the citizens of Compton would be paying the majority of this TAX BILL? You see, the Compton Unified School District includes parts of East Compton, Willowbrook, Rosewood, Rancho Dominguez, Athens, Enterprise and other unincorporated areas in and around the City of Compton. As you know many of the properties in the areas I mentioned above are valued anywhere from 20 to 30% below a similar property within the city limits, therefore we the citizens of Compton will have to pay a larger share.

Look at the last paragraph of the Statement in Compliance, the District cannot tell us what the actual cost/tax is going to be and even states "not binding upon the District".

Where is the State of California's contribution to upgrading and remodeling the schools?

We pay State taxes that are supposed to be used for our schools.

The school board should be demanding that the State do more. We cannot afford any new property taxes.

The last time (April 20, 1999) this proposition was on the ballot 70.85% of us voted no.

They will say anything to get this passed.

This tax will make it even more difficult for us to attract new businesses to our community.

Don't be fooled by such words as (only .20 cents per day or $50.00 dollars per year).

PLEASE VOTE NO ON MEASURE I.

CHARLES DAVIS
Compton City Clerk

Here are the facts:

1. Measure I is very specific about how the bond money will be spent. It can only be spent to upgrade existing school facilities that are severely deteriorated due to age and constant use. Only critical upgrades--like upgrading outdated security systems, repairing old electrical systems, renovating aging classrooms, and replacing worn out plumbing--are authorized.

2. Measure I will cost the average homeowner about $7 per month. This cost is entirely tax deductible and will stay in our community.

3. The State requires school districts to raise funds locally in order to qualify for State matching funds that reduce the cost to local taxpayers of rehabilitating our schools. Without Measure I, these matching funds--up to $60,000,000--will go to other school districts.

4. Measure I contains only the most essential school improvement facilities projects. No Measure I funds can be spent on teacher salaries or administrative costs.

5. State law requires an independent Citizens Oversight Committee and annual audits to monitor Measure I projects and ensure every dollar is spent properly.

Quality schools are important for the health, safety and education of our children and for maintaining local property values.

We urge you to Vote Yes on Measure I.

ISADORE HALL, III
President, CUSD

MARJORIE A. SHIPP
Retired Teacher

Based upon the foregoing and projections of the District's assessed valuation, and assuming the entire debt service will be paid through property taxation:

6. The best estimate of the tax rate that would be required to be levied to fund the bond issue during the first fiscal year after the sale of the first series of bonds based on estimated assessed valuations available at the time of filing of this statement is .05986 cents per $100 of assessed valuation (or $59.86 per $100,000 of assessed valuation) for fiscal year 2003-04.

7. The best estimate of the tax rate that would be required to be levied to fund the bond issue during the first fiscal year after the sale of the last series of bonds based on estimated assessed valuations available at the time of filing of this statement is .05988 cents per $100 of assessed valuation (or $59.88 per $100,000 of assessed valuation) for fiscal year 2006-07.

8. The best estimate of the highest tax rate that would be required to be levied to fund the bond issue, and an estimate of the years in which that rate will apply, based on estimated assessed valuations available at the time of the filing of this statement is .06000 cents per $100 of assessed valuation (or $60.00 per $100,000 of assessed valuation) for fiscal years 2002-03 through 2033-34.

Attention to all voters is directed to the fact that the foregoing information is based upon projections and estimates only, which are not binding upon the District. The actual timing of bond sales and the amount of bonds sold at any given time will be governed by the needs of the District, the state of the bond market, and other factors. The actual interest rates on any bonds sold will depend upon market conditions and other factors at the time of sale. The actual assessed valuations in future years will depend upon the value of property within the District as determined in the assessment and equalization process. Therefore, the actual tax rates and the years in which such rates are applicable may vary from those presently estimated as stated above.

Dated: August 8, 2002

1. Construction of 2 new elementary schools.

2. Renovation of existing facilities at 28 elementary, middle and high school sites.

3. Removal of asbestos from 37 sites in the District.

4. Repair and replacement of clocks and bells District-wide.

5. Repair and/or installation of exterior lighting at elementary, middle and high schools.

6. Replacement and/or repair of playground equipment at elementary schools.

7. Repair of landscaping at elementary, middle, high and day schools.

8. Replacement and/or repair of paving at elementary, middle, high and day schools.

9. Renovation and repair of athletic fields at middle and high schools.

10. Painting of the exterior of elementary, middle and high schools.

11. Repair underground sewer, water and gas fixtures at elementary, middle and high schools.

12. Repair the exterior iron fencing at elementary and middle schools.

13. Renovation and repair of the pool and walkway at Compton High School.

As required by the California Constitution, the proceeds from the sale of the bonds will be used only for the provision of school facilities by construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or replacement of school facilities, including the furnishing and equipping of school facilities, or the acquisition or lease or real property for school facilities, and not for any other purpose, including teacher and administrator salaries and other school operating expenses. The proceeds of the bonds will be deposited to a special fund and the chief fiscal officer of the District will annually file a report with the Board of Trustees, which report shall contain information regarding the amount of funds collected and expended, and the status of the projects listed in the ballot measure.

The District's Board of Trustees has certified that it has evaluated safety, class size reduction and information technology needs in developing the foregoing list.

The District's Board of Trustees will conduct an annual, independent performance audit to ensure that the funds have been expended only on the project list set forth above.

The District's Board of Trustees will conduct an annual, independent financial audit of the proceeds from the sale of the Bonds until all of those proceeds have been expended for the school facilities projects.

Pursuant to Section 15772 of the Education Code, the District's Board of Trustees will appoint a citizens oversight committee and conduct annual independent audits to assure that funds are spent only on school and classroom improvements and for no other purposes. The oversight committee will include representatives of business, senior citizens, taxpayers, Parent-Teacher Association and parents.