The McKinleyville Press is working on an article about Measure C, the bond measure for local schools that will appear on the June 3 ballot. If anyone has any ideas for questions we should ask, please post them in the comments section.
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How much of the money goes for a new gym? I saw on the flyer “new gym” with a bunch of other stuff like expanded library, better science rooms, etc. but it seems like a new gymnasium would eat up at least 30% of the 14 million it is supposed to generate. It seems pretty reasonable for people who own houses from 5 or more years ago, but the people who bought recently in the 300,000 – 500,000 range will be paying significantly more towards the improvements. Seems pretty inequitable, maybe it should be per parcel rather than based on value. Personally, I am tired of them tacking more money onto property taxes. What happened to the lottery money they promised would shore up the education budget?
Even though the new gym was stated on their ballot measure, isn’t it the case that they want MCSD to copartner and get a grant to do this and the bond money would not be used at all for this purpose??
#1. How much for the gym?
#2. How much will go to Administration?
#3. How much in interest?
#4. Have any cost estimates for the improvements been completed and if so where are they?
#5. Will any of this go to salaries and benefits?
I notice on the ballot it says “acquire and construct” school facilities. Are they looking at property? Also says no money for administrator salaries.
I think we all need to reread Elaine’s article in McKinleville Press on March 11. Gives explanation regarding the gym and it states they are not building a gym with this bond. They are wanting to partner with McKinleyville Community Services District and get a grant for the gym.
In Eureka they passed two school bond measures – S & T. Some properties one but not the other and others have both of them depending on where you live. They have done very little except pay consultants to study various projects. They made a great pitch re the pool and having to rebuild the building. Well, guess what?? They ran out of money and the pool – well it didn’t get done. Many other things didn’t get done either. Some of the schools are being closed. Is this what we will get too? More money added to our house tax bill and a consultant with a fat wallet from it all.
whine, whine, whine, anon bullshit. Many things have been published about the bond, read the damn thing and stop getting your info from anon bloggers.
The superintendent has been all over speaking about it. Get involved in your community, go to McK COC meeting, Join Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, or other civic groups, its your community what you put in – you get back.
I would challenge all readers of the McKinleyville Press to read behind the “developer and real estate” authors’ biased perspective in the article from Mark Rynearson, Linda Sundberg and Louis Demartin. Please visit the measure c blog – listed above and have your questions answered. Be intelligent and don’t rely on misinformation provided by our local Real Estate agents, who are looking at all the property they own and not the benefits to the students. A question to you – Why did you only rely on information from the newspaper? Did any one of you attend the Measure C information night? Did any of you call the district to get some of facts or did you rely on other districts to provide misinformation to you? Relying on information from other districts is not good investigation Didn’t your teachers ever teach you about primary and secondary sources. You should have done your own homework before you turned in your report – shame on you!
Although the ballot lists a lot of things that could be done, nothing has been selected yet.
Understand the poll showed people did not want new buildings built. So where does this leave the gym?
Falling through ramps and floors is a safety issue and the district has money. Why not get this unsafe issue fixed with that money.
How long will a roof last? Not as long as it will take us to pay back the bond that funded it.
Sell the School Road property before going after bonds and let’s see what we get with that money first.
The polling revealed that the community was not in favor of replacing existing portable structures with new, permanent structures not building a joint-use facility. The Middle School does not have a gym. Perhaps one might ask the question, aren’t our middle school students entitled to a gym especially when the high school students at McKinleyville High have two gyms and a multipurpose room? According to the Naylor Act (Education Code 17485-17500), if the district sells their Washington Street property they have to offer it to any city, county, redevelopment agency, housing authority, state agency, or public district at 25% of the fair market value. The property has been appraised at $1,000,000.00, without deducting for the fault that is running through it. The district may have to accept $250,000.00 for the Washington property. The district still has the option to lease it and may pursue this in the future to help with the cost of the building projects.
I think those code sections state has to get a minimum of 25% of the valuenot has to get only 25% of the value. I looked up the codes.
Also in the section where it covers land with no school buildings, it states “fair market value”. So exactly why would you take only 25% of the fair market value? Who would lease vacant land? Park Service?
I don’t think MCSD needs any more recreation or park land so doubt they would be interested either.
Interesting how, “According to the Naylor Act (Education Code 17485-17500), if the district sells their Washington Street property they have to offer it to any city, county, redevelopment agency, housing authority, state agency, or public district at 25% of the fair market value. The property has been appraised at $1,000,000.00, without deducting for the fault that is running through it.”
Response = It would be interesting to understand why, all of a sudden, an earthquake fault is being used to devalue the property in the effort to persuade voters to vote in favor of the measure because of expressed “wants” and not “needs” for more money? Again, WANTS versus NEEDS. How about the christmas looking “Vote on C” signs too. Kinda makes a property owner contemplate the spirit of giving unjustified presents which were mandated by other persons. (“Jack, I mandate that you give Jill money so that she can be able to do something that you may not yourself “).
We pay taxes already for the “needs” which are requested. The game is this: the State takes the collected property taxes from the individual local jurisdictions (County Tax collector); then, the State does not appropriate the tax revenue properly or legally at times; then, school districts do not get their monies in proportion to the tax monies collected in their area; then, regulation comes along and creates realisms like Americans with Disabilities ACT (ADA), increased fire safety regulations; additional emergency standards, etc..; obviously then, the district is forced by it’s own beaurocracy to comply with any new law; then, because the STATE chokes funding from local jurisdictions to finance other bonehead beaurocratic decisions, the local jurisdictions become persuaded to “GO TO THE VOTERS” asking for more money to “NOT” be paid for by certain voters, but rather to be paid for by other certain “private sector” interests (property owners only) in order to finance “public sector” improvements which were concocted by a nefarious “PUBLIC SECTOR” run by the same beaurocratic, political lunacy!
Who benefits when the taxes paid are not based equally across the board by everyone? Who benefits when the taxpayer does not? Unapportioned taxes which are direct taxes upon only a group of people who do not make up the “whole” voter base, is illegal. Further, certain families, the State and the school district benefit from this measure; not the property owner, not the hardworking family just getting by in their home, not the family with no children, etc… Again, all district voters are deciding which “select few voters” get to subsidize and pay for Measure C. Is it fair and constitutional – NO. Is it reality – YES.
Follow the current money and current budgets; then, compare year over year information and ask yourself this question: When did budgeting not include the future, the unknown, the known, wants and needs (ie. P.A. Systems, taller fences, plumbings, safety, infrastructure, etc.)? The fact is that politicians steal your taxes; sometimes, the theft is done by yourself with the State as a third party participant. Therefore, to combat this abuse, you do not allow politicians MORE MONEY to waste. Force government to become efficient and less wasteful.
Afterall, if voters decide to pool additional property taxes for “public facilities”, which will not gain much of any “NEEDED” benefit improvements from the taxes levied, then maybe voters ought to vote on a ballot measure to give themselves money out of their own pockets so that they can finance buying and fixing up their own homes and facilities just as nice as the “public buildings”, which are financed from the very same pockets who “may wish not” to finance something which has already been financed and budgeted for, right? It comes down to simple economics – the more you tax property, the less people will have access to that property. The rich remain or get richer, the middle class erodes and the rest of us struggle to “PAY RENT”! A vote for “C” limits who gets to own property. Class Warfare is the ultimate result.
FYI – Since the State essentially OWNS local school districts, then the STATE (the People) already owns the individual schools, yes? If that be the case, it is no surprise that the STATE would benefit from “structure devaluation” prior to the sale of any tangible assets coincidentally right back to itself (state regulated agency or commission).
Hmmmm, how come the County tax assessor will not devalue properties of taxpayers whose land sits on top of a fault? In fact, does not California and the WHOLE planet sit on faults and/or tectonic plates? Go figure the excuses and malicious reasonings used to fabricate propaganda, and do not forget the children – we will not understand or realise any benefits until these children are adults; and since the American educational system is already screwed up and presenting society with people who are less respectful than generations past, then it would seem clear that changes need to be made starting with “less money funding the source of the problem – beaurocracy”.
Jeffrey Lytle
McKinleyville – 5th District
Nice rant Jeff. Where did you go to school?
Why is nobody ranting about our children having to attend schools with leaky roofs?
Rant or not, he is right on most points. Don’t you think this should have come up during the wage negotiations last year? Why did they give raises if there were such looming problems only a year away?
The roofs aren’t leaking. The issue is to have them redone. The reroofing won’t even take place according to their own report for up to 7 years. If you believe everything that is being thrown about to get you to vote on this measure, I have a bridge . . .
Where or when did I go to school.
You see, every year that goes by, more tax dollars are wasted and misappropriated. So, it is not so much where in California, as it is when did I go to school. It has been apparent that students today are valued much more than students from yesteryears. Facilities do not need to be Taj Mahalish. They were not then, and do not need to be now. However, it really is about MORE taxation and regulation to increase property taxes for the benefit of everything public and not private, right?
Are the suggested matching funds going to be the existing funds that are already supposed to be forwarded to the local school district for these repairs and upgrade issues? Or, were these existing funds getting re-appropriated into a different line item budget for, lets say, salaries and wages. Where are these matching funds – which State line item account are they showing a matching funds budget for? Why is no parent ranting about the taxes already levied and paid for by the tax payers for maintenence and re-roofing of our schools right now? Oh, be prepared for the CDF-SRA property tax bill up for a vote in the State Senate. If this passes, then property owners will be paying about another $100.00+ per year on their taxes.
2 year Sum Total tax additions for McKinleyville folks = Arcata Fire District Special Assessment + possible Measure C + possible CDF-SRA Assessment tax. These three additional taxes cumulatively will have added at least another $250.00 + (based on value will increase this total) to your tax bill. So, in the future, when voters are allowing their kids to live in mommy and daddy’s house after college, maybe the voters will remember that they put them there by their inadequate understanding of taxes, economics and financing. Again, the more you tax in this manner, the less opportunity and reality will your children have to call “THEIR” home. CLASS WARFARE IS THE ULTIMATE RESULT.
Jeffrey Lytle
McKinleyville – 5th District
It is possible for someone who did not pay a lot for their house before the prices went up may end up paying more for the fire and schools – CR and Measure C – than they pay for their house tax especially if the CDF tax goes through. When does it stop?
It stops when enough people are willing to understand deceitful politics.
Jeffrey Lytle
McKinleyville – 5th District
How long will the tax assessment last? 5 years, 50 years?
40 years. The children in the schools will end up paying this one off if it passes!
And in less than forty years, history tells us another measure taxing your home for something else will be forced upon the voters who are children right now. In fact, it will only be the wealthiest children – turned adults – who will pay for these taxes while the rest are renting or homeless. This “C” TAX will limit your child’s ability to OWN A HOME. Understanding economics, finances and taxes will prove this point. No better paying jobs, no home – plain and simple understanding!
Jeffrey Lytle
McKinleyville – 5th District
Susan says, “Penny Elsebusch is one of those gadflys that oppose ALL bond measures regardless of value.”
Response = I believe she voted in favor of the Arcata Fire Assessment Tax because it was properly noticed to the people in the community where there were many public forums to discuss options and specifics. This Measure “C” issue was done in secrecy from the general public until just a few months ago – no formal process for the people in the community.
Susan says, “What she does not understand is that the school district has a minimum reserve that it is required by state law to keep. It can not fall below 4% of its budget.”
Response = She understands more than most people (including teachers) give credit for because she does the research unlike most people in society. If it were not for folks like Penny, America would definately not be a Democratic Republic, but rather already a country run by 100% Totalitarian Socialists. In addition, who’s fault is it for not voting properly to oust state and local officials who play shell games with our tax revenues and do not appropriate the funding properly, or at times, legally.
Susan says, “The time to do needed modernization is before the building fall into disrepair, it is far cheaper then.”
Response = Wait just a second. The schools are over fifty-sixty years old and ALL that money budgeted for maintenance and repairs was switched over to other line item accounts like salaries and wages for ALL public employees, shortfalls in other areas of the STATE BUDGET, etc..I do not respect people who lie, cheat and steal from other people to finance a better life for themselves. Yes, ALL District Employees will not feel the pinch as their raises will have offset the proposed tax charge. Yes, the shifting of CURRENT taxes will occur, if this measure passes, which will be used to pay “Public Employees” more MONEY, while forcing less people to own a home by increasing costs of ownership. The state and local tax collector are hush because this is what they want. Higher Prop. 13 values.
Susan says, “Our kids deserve better than waiting until the buildings are about to fall down to fix them up.”
Response = So, based on the true facts, you are really blaming the School District; and the State Board of Education; and the Governors over the years; and the elected officials at all levels; etc. Feeble Deceit is very shameful Susan, with all due respect.
Susan says, “People say, why borrow money to do modernization & upgrades to your buildings & infrastructure, why not pay for it as you go ”
Response = They say it because they know the budgets have included funding for this for which the School District wasted what they had and did not step up to the batter’s box at home plate to demand that the State of California give them the money that taxes were levied for already. So, society and taxpayers are too scared to put their foot down and say enough is enough? Starvation will soon teach them their faulty ways.
Susan says, “These bond measures are the same thing as you getting a mortgage to buy a house.”
Response = Nope. That was a personal decision that did not include thousands of third party voters. Further, are you going to pay a percentage of MY MORTGAGE Susan, because your insinuating every Home Loan goes to the voters first? Yeah, nice try. Again, shameful deceit.
Susan says, “The millions of dollars needed are far, far beyond the budget that schools have. Just like you don’t have $300,000 sitting in a savings account to buy your house.
Response = Funny how teachers tell their students to not procrastinate on their homework responsibilities. Well, looky here; do as I say, not as I do.
Finally, darn near every letter in support thus far has been by EDUCATORS, not non-educators. What does that tell you thus far. So, in the next week, we will see educators coerce their friends who are not educators to write something in support. Public Education is over and ruined forever.
Vote NO ON “C”!
Jeffrey Lytle
McKinleyville – 5th District
I would much rather have a tax added, for a specified number of years, than a Bond. The school repair work will have to be redone before the Bond is paid.
What kind or type of tax added would you feel comfortable with provided you are capable to pay that tax added?
Jeffrey Lytle
McKinleyville – 5th District
Penny may oppose all bond measures but that does not make this school bond a good one. They do not need a new gym. They may need a new roof. They may need lab sinks and some new Wi-Fi stuff. That’s about it. Enrollment is droping. The administrators who did not do a good job with school funds are at fault for poor or no repair programs. Some in the district do not deserve raises. Front line teachers do. I just bought my home at 425,000 and hope to be here longer that 40 years. I will pay heafty for these bond measures. Dr. Bill is right about participation but voting down a poor plan is good participation I think. Keeping up with the Joneses is out of the question. Tighten your belts and get back to basics. Yes music is a basic. By the way,I will pay these bonds while I send my child to St. Bernards.
Yes, Dr. Bill is essentially correct about participation; however, I know of many people who give, give, and give and they (children too) do not get any benefit. Further, to be asked to give, give and give more shows that there has been no benefit for all these years of giving. Volunteering is the proper way to give back to the community. Sacrificing and threatening your’s and your children’s future financial ability to own a home is not giving, it is taking away.
Jeffrey Lytle
McKinleyville – 5th District
Actually I don’t oppose all bonds. I supported the Fire District and was on the committee that helped prepare the information that was sent out to voters to obtain support. This was a necessary expense as the fire station in McKinleyville would have remained closed and our nearest station would have been the one on Janes Road to respond for any fire or medical emergency. Our fire insurance would have gone up much more than the additional amount we are now paying and we still would not have had good coverage.
There are things that are necessary but this school bond at this time is not. If anyone adds up every upgrade, paving, moving a school entrance for safety, plumbing – everything except the gym addition at $3 million and replacing the temporary classrooms at another $3 million – it adds up to $7 million to do everything. I thought the poll of the voters that was done to see if voters would possibly pass this bond showed the voters did not want new buildings. If that is the case – why are we not voting on $7 million instead of $14 million. The $14 million is the absolute maximum that we can vote because of our tax base. The report that was done by the school’s consultant said almost $18 million would be necessary to fix everything. So it looks like we will be a few million short or are we a few million over if we take into account only $7 million in repairs? The children currently in the 3 schools are going to end up paying for this bond and then some. If a roof lasts 15 years where does the money come from to now put on new roofs when there is still 25 years remaining on the bond payment. It is very simple, just vote another bond and that way it becomes everlasting and will never be repaid – merely refinanced with new bond money.
This isn’t going to pay for the loss of the music class or any other class that gets cut, including cuts in teachers if and when the State finally gets the budget approved and we find out that there are going to be bigger cuts than anyone anticipated. I think we need to go back to the drawing board on this bond and maybe do a loan like Northern Union did. At least rethink it. Eureka learned a hard lesson with their S & T bonds – they didn’t get what they thought they were getting and some of the $53 million they voted in got spent on schools that are now closed. They still didn’t get a gym or a new pool building but are out of money and didn’t even get all the repairs they thought they would get.
Sell the property at School & Washington and use that money for remodels and repairs before going to a bond. Actually this property should have been traded for property Jim Furtado built houses on that I think Pierson owned next to Morris School. That would have been a smart move, but it didn’t happen.
It appears that your attempts at mislead the votors have failed Penny and Jeff.
Our childred our the future. Godspeed.
No attempt at anything but discussions and comments of truth and understanding. I will cross my fingers for the children’s future for home-ownership. I hope higher paying jobs follow in the footsteps of voter decisions like this because the more money levied in the form of taxes and charges, means the more money a home-owner will need to earn to pay for these additional charges. It’s obvious irresponsibility runs rampant throughout State Agency jurisdictions – correct this and the school districts will be getting their funding without “certain” people paying more to offset the laziness voters have because they do not put their foot down and say enough is enough with state beaurocracy. Survival is our future too.
I am curious to see the percentages of owner /non-owner votes.
P.S. – I have spoke to a few people already who are property owners who did not vote on anything yesterday – lack of personal responsibility I suppose.
Jeffrey Lytle
McKinleyville – 5th District