Palos Verdes Might Have to Pay for a Bond Even if We Vote Against One (And we won’t even see any of the benefits of it)

In 2020, Palos Verdes residents voted on Measure PV, which at the time was the first bond in 15 years meant to provide funding to repair and update school facilities in the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District (PVPUSD).  It failed to pass by a margin of 61% to 38%.  There were several reasons why it failed by such a large vote, including lack of trust in the members of the school board, mismanagement and lack of planning surrounding long-term and recurring costs associated with the proposed repairs, inability for senior citizens to opt out, among other reasons.  Regardless, the message that year was clear: residents of Palos Verdes were not willing to pass a bond and increase their taxes.

Four years later, the schools are still in desperate need of repair.  During recent storms, the electrical system of Miraleste Intermediate School was damaged to such an extent that it required a complete rebuild of the electrical panel and a diesel-powered generator was brought on site to power the school.  Large pieces of concrete have fallen off various structural sections of schools.  Students and faculty have complained about intense heat during summer months in multiple schools without air conditioning. 

So, the school board and superintendent are researching the possibility of another bond to be placed on the ballot this November.  But has sentiment in our community changed enough in the last four years to make it more likely that it will pass this time? That remains to be seen, but here’s the catch that not many people are discussing:

Even if we vote against the local bond, we may be on the hook to pay for a statewide school bond, and we won’t see a dime of that money in our schools.

This is all thanks to our local Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi and his proposed bill: AB 247.  The bill, a $14 BILLION bond to pay for school facilities upgrades and repairs throughout California, is gaining traction in the Assembly along with a similar version in the State Senate.  If it passes and is approved by the Governor, it will increase taxes for all Californians, but not every school district will receive the benefits from that tax.  That’s thanks to a provision called Section 17074.16 which will only provide money “to the extent state funds are available for the state’s 60-percent share, and the school district has provided its 40-percent local match.”  In other words: If we don’t pass our own local bond, we won’t receive any of the statewide bond funds that we will be paying for.

If you think this sounds a bit like our own State representative holding us hostage, you’re not alone.  On a recent Capitol Convoy trip, Muratsuchi told a delegation of our students, administrators, and board members who were concerned about our school facilities that “you just need to pass a bond.”  He showed a total lack of understanding of the district he represents and he may end up being directly responsible for raising our district’s taxes without us receiving any benefit from those taxes.

So what can we do?  To their credit, our school board drafted a letter to Public Advocates Inc., the firm that wrote the so-called “Goodwin Letter” that I discussed in my comments to the board at a recent meeting.  In it, they argue that statewide bond funding should be based on the specific facility needs, rather than purely on the wealth of the district and that funding should not be withheld if a district cannot pass a bond.

But we can do more.  One of the main tenets of my campaign is—if elected—to do everything within the power of the board to shield our district from bad policies pushed down from the State.  Further, I intend to actively push back against California to stop these types of bills and policies from threatening our district.  This means working together with other similar school districts to send our own demand letter, and even take legal action if necessary to protect our children and our schools. 

But I can only do this if I’m on the board, so I need to your support to get me there.  Here’s how you can help:

1.        Sign up for my newsletter so you stay informed.

2.        Tell your friends about me—share my website and social media.

3.        Volunteer with my election campaign.

4.        Donate to my campaign.

Together we can protect our district’s schools. Thank you for your support!