Measure M – Pajaro Valley Unified school bond
Voters in Pajaro Valley Unified School District will decide whether to approve $315 million in bonds in the Nov. 5 election to help repair and upgrade the district’s 35 schools.
The money would go towards school facilities, potential teacher housing, and expanded technology programs. The school district serves more than 17,000 across much of South Santa Cruz County and part of Monterey County.
Measure M requires more than 55% voter approval.
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Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s northern boundaries are near the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park and New Brighton State Beach. (Pajaro Valley Unified School District)
What is Measure M?
Measure M would allow Pajaro Valley Unified School District to issue up to $315 million in bonds for maintenance and construction projects. Property owners in the school district would pay about $60 per $100,000 of assessed property value annually for roughly 30 years. Assessed value usually changes when a property is sold, and is often lower than the market value.
The bond money could be used only on school facilities and programs, not teacher or administrative salaries. The money could be used for:
- New and refurbished student centers, libraries, gyms, restrooms, playgrounds and classrooms.
- Repairs and replacement of old windows, roofs, leaky pipes, heating and air conditioning systems and electrical wiring.
- Upgrades to fences, lights, fire alarms and security systems.
- Repaved and reconfigured parking lots, bike lanes and walkways.
- Landscaping and gardening.
- Below-market-rate rental housing for teachers and staff.
- Solar panels and electric-vehicle charging stations.
- Removal of mold and other hazardous substances.
- Accessibility upgrades for students with disabilities.
- Expanded robotics and coding programs.
- Science lab equipment, kitchenware, electronics, outdoor benches and classroom furniture.
The school district would create a citizens’ oversight committee and complete annual audits of bond expenditures.
PVUSD’s 35 schools include:
- Aptos, Watsonville and Pajaro Valley high schools.
- Six middle schools.
- Sixteen elementary schools.
- Ten alternative education sites, including charter schools and an adult school.
What does a “yes” vote mean on Measure M?
A “yes” vote would authorize an annual property tax within Pajaro Valley Unified School District to fund $315 million in bonds.
What would a “no” vote mean on Measure M?
A “no” vote would not authorize a new property tax or bond.
Things to consider about Measure M
Pajaro Valley Unified schools are in need of $1.25 billion in maintenance, including replacement of some portable classrooms installed about 50 years ago, district officials said. There are more than 400 portable classrooms throughout the district.
PVUSD Superintendent Heather Contreras said it is important for students to have pride in their schools. She’s also hopeful that the measure would help the district secure some below-market-rate housing for teachers and staff.
“Any time we can have a strategy to recruit the best and the brightest of teachers is always going to benefit students,” Contreras said.
Georgia Acosta, president of the Pajaro Valley Unified School Board, said the bond money is essential to improve school buildings.
“We don’t receive sufficient funding from the state or otherwise for facilities or maintenance or for improvements,” Acosta said. “Really the only way for us as a school district to do that is to bring it forward in a bond.”
Voters adopted a similar $58 million bond measure in Pajaro Valley Unified School District in 2002, and another $150 million bond measure in 2012.
Some district residents have pushed back against the proposed bond. They said it’s another burden in a county with an extremely high cost of living.
“It’s getting really, really difficult for many people to survive here,” said Aptos resident Becky Steinbruner. “It’s a huge amount of money and a huge debt to take on, and I just don’t see the nexus for the need.”
She and others wrote in an official ballot statement that the list of projects the bond could fund were too vague, and that the district should “focus on educating kids and not branch out into property management for staff.”
What is the ballot language?
With funds that cannot be taken by the State and spent elsewhere, shall Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s measure to renovate classrooms; expand career/technical education programs including robotics and coding; and replace outdated plumbing, leaking pipes and aging electrical wiring be adopted, authorizing $315 million of bonds with levies less than $60 per $100,000 of assessed valuation (raising $18.3 million annually) while outstanding, legal rates, annual audits, independent oversight, eligibility for state matching funds and full public disclosure?