California Proposition 2 would allow the state to borrow $10 billion for public school repairs, upgrades
California Proposition 2 asks voters to authorize the state to borrow $10 billion to help fund upgrades, construction and renovation of public schools and community colleges in the state.
Under the measure, the state would use the money to improve campuses, enhance safety features and upgrade classroom technology and labs, including vocational and technical education programs for students.
The cost to repay the bond will be about $500 million a year for 35 years including interest, which would be paid for out of the state's General Fund.
There are about 10,000 public schools in California, including about 1,300 charter schools, serving elementary through high school students, and there are 115 local community colleges.
The last state education bond measure passed in 2016, and funds from that have already been spent. Voters rejected a similar $15 billion bond proposal in 2020.
California typically splits school costs with public school districts, paying about 50 percent of the cost of new construction projects and 60 percent of the cost of renovation projects. The districts are expected to pay the remaining project costs using local funds.
School districts would have to pass local bond measures that match state funding in order to receive it, with the exception of school districts in areas of greater need, where the average household income is lower. A higher state match would be granted to those districts under Proposition 2.
Districts have started adding local bonds to the ballot in anticipation of the bond measure passing.
Supporters of Proposition 2 say that the funding would also allow for renovations to and construction of transitional kindergarten classrooms, with all four-year-olds in the state eligible for a year of transitional kindergarten beginning with the 2025-26 school year.
Funds are also intended for environmental fixes such as reducing lead in water, remediating mold and asbestos, and protecting students from extreme heat — including adding air conditioning – and to address safety upgrades to campuses, such as locks on doors.
Opponents say the $10 billion bond argue that, because local districts would have to pass their own bond measures that are typically funded through property tax increases, Proposition 2 would pose a burden for homeowners.
"Proposition 2 is $10 billion in additional debt for the state of California," said Susan Shelley of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
"What we need is a better system for allocating the money rather than putting it on the credit cards and having the districts rush in first come first served."
In Southern California, the San Bernardino City Unified School District voted in favor of endorsing Proposition 2.
Right now the district has 2,900 classrooms and 30 percent of them are portable. Classrooms on average in California are around 1,000 square feet, with each classroom costing about $1 million to build.
