ABC Unified School District

Measure BB - 55% Approval Required

Vote YES on MEASURE BB

Create a lasting, positive impact on the quality of our schools, neighborhoods and the value of our homes while still protecting taxpayers. Measure BB is a wise investment. Good schools improve the quality of life in our community and preserve the value of our homes.

ABC USD’s schools and classrooms have been well maintained over the years; however, these buildings have an average age of over 50 years! Our classrooms and schools require major upgrades and improvements not only to meet today’s technological, safety and educational standards but to avoid greater repair costs in the future.

Measure BB will ensure local students have access to the education, facilities, technology, and skills training they need to succeed.

Projects Include:
- Improving student safety and campus security systems including establishing a single point of entry, security fencing and security cameras.
- Providing classrooms, labs, and facilities needed to support high-quality instruction in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.
- Providing school facilities to support Career and Technical Education classes to prepare students for college and in-demand health sciences, engineering, technology, and skilled trade jobs.
- Upgrading older schools, so they meet the same academic and safety standards as newer schools.
- Keeping Instructional Technology up-to-date to ensure our students remain competitive.

Fiscally Responsible:
All money raised by Measure BB will be dedicated to safety upgrades, critical repairs and upgrades to our community schools. An independent citizen’s oversight committee will review all expenditures from the bond, and there will be publicly available annual independent audits of bond funds.

Our Students Deserve Your Vote:
There are more than 20,000 children in our school district. They need safe schools today to meet tomorrow’s challenges. They need your help.

For our students and our community, on November 6th, Vote YES on BB!

SHERMAN KAPPE
Former Mayor of Cerritos

OLYMPIA CHEN
Former ABC School Board President

CELIA SPITZER
Former ABC School Board President

DIANA NEEDHAM
Former Mayor of Cerritos

MAYNARD LAW
Current ABC Board Member

Yes, ABCUSD needs funding for capital improvements. However, this is a BAD BOND.

The Facilities Master Plan is incomplete!

ABCUSD authorized $60,000 to WLC Architects to assist the Facilities Committee in putting together a $258.73 million Facilities Master Plan. Board Policy requires that this Plan consider current and future trends in enrollment which very likely would lead to the consolidation of a few schools. This Plan did not consider enrollment. Why allocate funds for schools which should be CLOSED?

The Plan does not incorporate alternate funding!

The Facilities Committee recommended considering alternate funding sources to accelerate the implementation of the Plan. The District Chief Financial Officer stated that it was possible to find $31 million. Why doesn’t the Bond measure reflect this REDUCTION?

There are too many out-of-district students!

Student Enrollment in the District is DECLINING, with further decline expected. FIFTEEN PERCENT of the students enrolled in the District are out-of-district transfer students. Those families WILL NOT PAY the taxes but enjoy the benefits. This is not fair!

Costs include non-capital items!

The $258 million bond measure includes over $61 million for Classroom Furniture, Classroom Finishes, Playground Surfacing and Equipment, and Shade Shelter, which do not have a useful life as long as the Bonds.

Now, ABCUSD wants to pass a bond measure based on an incomplete Facilities Master Plan. If passed, we and our children will be paying a total debt of $448 million for 29 years.

District families CANNOT afford more taxes. We will still pay property taxes over $105 million through 2034 on 1997 bonds!

This Measure has ZERO protection for senior citizens living on fixed incomes. Seniors cannot “opt out” of this tax.

Join hardworking families, senior citizens and business owners and VOTE NO on this Measure!

JAMES F. YEE
Homeowner

Bond Measure BB is asking for too much.

In the Facilities Master Plan, Campus Security, Campus Technology, MPR/Gym, Lab/Media Centers, Portable Classroom Replacement, and Restroom Renovation are important, were estimated to cost over $175 million, are capital items, and should be funded by Measure BB. Classroom furniture, classroom finishes, office renovation, playground resurfacing/equipment, and shade shelter were estimated at over $82 million and should not be funded with this bond. The Measure should have been for $175 million, not $258 million.

ABCUSD has not been forthright.

On June 19 the Board approved a $110K contract to resurface playgrounds at three schools with deferred maintenance funds. Yet these projects are in the Facilities Master Plan on which this Bond Measure is based. Are we to pay for this and other projects which can be funded with deferred maintenance funds?

The District is ambiguous on the Specific Projects List.

This is a Proposition 39 bond measure which requires a Specific Projects List that voters can consider and a Citizens Oversight Committee can work with. Notice that near the end of Attachment 1, the District states that “inclusion of a project on the Bond Project List is not a guarantee that any specific project listed herein will be funded, completed or completed by a specific date.” Doesn’t this mean that the Specific Projects List is not specific?

Vote NO on Measure BB!

JAMES F. YEE
Homeowner

Vote YES on Measure BB

The ABCUSD Citizens Facilities Master Plan Committee determined that the facilities needs of the District require passing a bond. Only one person has filed an argument against Measure BB. However, in his argument against the measure, he agrees that ABCUSD needs this funding.

The District held over 20 meetings, open to the public, before finalizing the Plan. ABCUSD continues to listen and incorporate new information into future master plans.

District enrollment has fluctuated over the past ten years. Demographic changes may require increased utilization of the District’s buildings in the future. All District facilities should be maintained for future capacity increases.

Measure BB cannot cover all identified, high-priority needs of the District. Additional funding sources are being aggressively sought through grants, matching funds, public/private partnerships and donations.

Students who attend ABC schools, and live outside the District boundaries, generate funds from the State for the District. This money helps maintain the outstanding academic programs offered in ABC and makes us the only Exemplary District in the County.

The bond provides for non-capital items such as updating all classroom furniture and playground equipment. These items are recommended by the Facilities Committee and allowed by State law.

The excellence of ABC School District is a major reason homes in our District are valued higher than similar homes in nearby neighborhoods. Passing Measure BB is a significant way to maintain continued high home valuation in ABC. Great schools make great communities and enhance home values.

DR. OLGA RIOS
ABC School Board Clerk

SOO YOO
ABCUSD School Board President

BRAD BEACH
Chair of ABC Facilities Committee

SOPHIA TSE
ABCUSD Board Member

GAIL BOSFIELD
President, ABC Council of PTAs