50,597 / 64.0% Yes votes ...... 28,449 / 36.0% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

The Rancho Santiago Community College District has proposed to the voters that general obligation bonds of the community college district be issued in an amount up to $337,000,000 and that ad valorem taxes be levied upon taxable property in the district to repay the bonded indebtedness. The measure provides that proceeds from the sale of the bonds will generally be used to acquire, improve, construct and renovate district facilities, including construction and renovation of buildings, upgrading electrical, air, plumbing, sewer and safety systems, construction, renovation and equipping of current and additional classrooms, libraries and labs and upgrading classroom technology.

The measure provides that a citizens' oversight committee will be established to ensure that bond proceeds are properly expended and that annual performance and financial audits will be conducted. The measure further provides that bond proceeds will not be used for teacher and administrator salaries and other district operating expenses.

The Board of Trustees of the Rancho Santiago Community College District has called the election for the purpose of submitting the measure to the voters within the district. If 55% of the voters of the district voting on the measure vote yes, the district may proceed to sell the bonds and levy the related taxes as estimated in the Tax Rate Statement. A no vote on this measure will disapprove the issuance of the bonds and the levy of the taxes for such bonded indebtedness.

Voters Guide on Measures C & E

Summary, Arguments, For/Against

Support for Measure E

Tens of thousands of our students depend upon Santa Ana and Santiago Canyon Colleges to prepare for 4-year college and jobs. Measure E is critical to their future!

TREASURER JOHN MOORLACH thoroughly reviewed Measure E and gave it "STRAIGHT A's" for Fiscal Prudence, Taxpayer Safeguards and Accountability.

STRICT TAXPAYER SAFEGUARDS guarantee Measure E funds will be spent exactly as promised - efficiently and without waste!

• An Independent Citizens Oversight Committee will oversee all expenditures.
• Annual Independent Financial and Project Audits.
• By law, Measure E funds can only be spent on classrooms/ buildings. No money can be spent on administrators' salaries.

Santa Ana/Santiago Canyon COLLEGE PROFESSORS support Measure E.

Santa Ana/Santiago Canyon Colleges lack adequate libraries, classrooms and labs. Explosive enrollment growth has led to severe overcrowding. Some buildings are 40+ years old. Roofs leak. Worn electrical systems, aging plumbing, and heating systems need renovation. Bathrooms are rundown. Classrooms built before computers/Internet need rewiring for technology. Students need classrooms, lecture halls, science labs, and learning centers.

Measure E will:

• Increase disabled access, provide earthquake retrofitting, and improve security systems.
• Rewire classrooms/libraries to provide students with high tech learning centers.
• Construct Public Safety Institute to train firefighters, police and paramedics.
• Make repairs now before things get worse and cost even more.

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

1. The best estimate of the tax which 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 $24.63 per $100,000 of assessed valuation for the year 2004-05.

2. The best estimate from official sources of the tax rate which would be required to be levied to fund the bond issue during the first fiscal year after the last sale of the bonds and an estimate of the year in which that rate will apply based on estimated assessed valuations available at the time of filing of this statement, is $24.70 per $100,000 of assessed valuation for the year 2014-15.

3. The best estimate of the highest tax rate which would be required to be levied to fund the bond issue and an estimate of the first year in which that rate will apply, based on estimated assessed valuation available at the time of filing of this statement is $24.84 per $100,000 of assessed valuation for the year 2007-08.

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

s/ Edward Hernandez Chancellor Rancho Santiago Community College District