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Contra Costa County, CA June 3, 2014 Election
Measure L
Kensington Community Center Bond Measure
Kensington Police Protection & Community Services District

Bond Measure - 2/3 Approval Required

Fail: 929 / 48.54% Yes votes ...... 985 / 51.46% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Results as of Jul 9 6:42pm, 100.0% of Precincts Reporting (4/4)
Information shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments | Tax Rate Statement | Full Text

To meet community needs of Kensington residents by modernizing the aging Community Center (Youth Hut), improving earthquake safety, meeting fire and health safety codes, repairing the roof, updating the kitchen and restrooms, updating spaces for youth programs, meetings and events and providing disabled access, shall the Kensington Police Protection and Community Service District issue up to $2 million in bonds, proceeds of which cannot be taken by the State and requiring independent citizens' oversight?

Impartial Analysis from the County Counsel
The Board of Directors of the Kensington Police Protection and Community Service District has adopted a resolution proposing to issue and sell general obligation bonds. This ballot measure asks voters to decide whether the District should be authorized to issue and sell general obligation bonds in an amount up to $2,000,000.

The measure provides that proceeds from the sale of the bonds would be used to finance specified improvements to the District's Community Center, including functional, aesthetic, building code, disability access, and safety improvements. The proceeds from the sale of bonds may only be used for the purposes specified in the measure. The District's resolution provides that the bonds would be repaid over a period of up to 30 years, and would have an interest rate that would not exceed 12% per year.

Approval of this measure authorizes the District to levy a tax on each parcel of taxable real property within the District to generate revenue to repay the bonded indebtedness until all bonds are repaid. The District's Tax Rate Statement estimates that the highest tax rate that would need to be levied to repay bonds issued under this measure would be $13.99 per $100,000 of assessed valuation beginning in fiscal year 2014-2015. The District's Tax Rate Statement states that the amount of the tax would depend on the timing of bond sales, the amount of bonds sold, the interest rate on the bonds at the time they are sold, and the actual assessed valuation of taxable real property within the District during repayment period.

State law requires the District treasurer to prepare and file with the District Board of Directors an annual report that states the amount of revenue collected and expended and the status of each project required or authorized to be funded with that revenue. The measure also would require the District to establish a citizen oversight committee that would review annual expenditures of bond sale revenue to verify the funds are being used only for the purposes described in the measure.

A "yes" vote on this measure authorizes the issuance of the bonds and the levy of taxes as estimated in the Tax Rate Statement to repay the bonds. Two-thirds of those voting on the ballot measure must approve the measure for it to pass. A "no" vote on this measure disapproves the issuance of the bonds and the levy of taxes.

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Arguments For Measure L Arguments Against Measure L
We urge your "Yes" vote on Measure L to fund the Community Center Safety Project. The Community Center (Youth Hut) has been the core of our community for many years. The last major work on the Center was done almost 30 years ago. It needs to meet current safety standards so that it can continue to serve our youth, families, and seniors.

As the primary public gathering space for Kensington, the Center hosts over 3000 people a year. This includes the KASEP afterschool programs, summer camps, Girl and Boy Scout meetings, numerous civic meetings, and adult and family events.

Measure L will make this building safer for all the people it serves. The funds approved by this bond measure will improve:

  • earthquake safety of the building
  • electrical and fire safety systems
  • the kitchen to meet health and safety standards
  • the bathrooms to meet accessibility requirements

Modernizing the aging building will also make the Center more functional, energy efficient and attractive for rentals and increase revenue to help reduce the annual operating costs.

A Yes vote on Measure L provides up to $2 million dollars to fund these necessary capital improvements. Other funds committed to the project include $300,000 from the Kensington Police Protection and Services District, $158,000 from Measure WW East Bay Regional Park District and $280,000 from Kensington community groups.

Every penny from Measure L will stay in Kensington for the Community Center Safety Project. The funds cannot be used for administrative salaries or be taken by the State. A Citizen's Oversight Committee will be established to monitor all of the bond expenditures.

Please join us in making our Community Center a safe and more useable building for many years to come.

Vote Yes on Measure L for the Kensington Community Center Safety Project

Linda Lipscomb, Kensington Police Protection and Community Services District, Board Member

Gretchen Gilfillan, Friends of the Kensington Library, Board Member and Co-founder

Anne Forrest, Kensington Hilltop School Teacher

Jack Griffith, Retired Landscape Architect, Kensington Park

Tom Sherris-Watt, Scoutmaster of Troop 100

None filed.

Tax Rate Statement from the General Manager, Kensington PP&CSD
An election will be held in the Kensington Police Protection and Community Services District (the "District") on June 3, 2014, to authorize the sale of up to $2,000,000 in bonds of the District to finance improvements to the Kensington Community Center as described in the ballot measure. If the bonds are approved, the District expects to sell the bonds in one or more series over time. Principal and interest on the bonds will be payable from the proceeds of tax levies made upon the taxable property in the District. The information contained in numbered paragraphs 1 - 3 below is provided in compliance with Sections 9400-9404 of the Elections Code of the State of California.

1. The best estimate of the tax which would be required to be levied to fund this 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 1.4¢ per $100 ($13.99 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2014-15.

2. The best estimate of the tax rate which would be required to be levied to fund this 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 1.4¢ per $100 ($13.99 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2014-15.

3. The best estimate of the highest tax rate which would be required to be levied to fund this bond issue, based on estimated assessed valuations available at the time of filing of this statement, is 1.4¢ per $100 ($13.99 per $100,000) of assessed valuation in fiscal year 2014-15.

Voters should note that the estimated tax rates are based on the ASSESSED VALUE of taxable property on the County's official tax rolls, not on the property's market value. Property owners should consult their own property tax bills to determine their property's assessed value and any applicable tax exemptions.

Attention of all voters is directed to the fact that the foregoing information is based upon the District's projections and estimates only, which are not binding upon the District. The actual tax rates and the years in which they will apply may vary from those presently estimated, due to variations from these estimates in the timing of bond sales, the amount of bonds sold and market interest rates at the time of each sale, and actual assessed valuations over the term of repayment of the bonds. The dates of sale and the amount of bonds sold at any given time will be determined by the District based on its needs for funds and other factors. The actual interest rates at which the bonds will be sold will depend on the bond market at the time of each sale. Actual future assessed valuation will depend upon the amount and value of taxable property within the District as determined by the County Assessor in the annual assessment and the equalization process.

Dated: February 13, 2014.

Gregory E. Harman General Manager Kensington Police Protection and Community Services District

Full Text of Measure L
+http://kensingtoncalifornia.org/files/active/0/Reso_Kensington_Police_CSD_FINAL.pdf


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Created: July 9, 2014 18:42 PDT
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