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$74.9 million bond going before voters in the district
Monroe would get bulk of the funds
By Erin Mayes
The Campbell Union School District will be asking residents who live in its service areas to approve a $74.9 million bond at a March 5, 2002, election.
A large chunk of the bond, about $18 million, would go toward renovating Monroe Middle School, said district representative Marla Olszewski. Board members are discussing whether completely rebuilding the campus will be necessary.
"There are people in the district who would love to see that happen," Olszewski said. "Monroe was built in the post-baby boom rush. It's had more than 40 years of patches and add-ons, so it needs some wholesale repairs."
If buildings on Monroe's campus need to be demolished, students may need to be relocated, although board members haven't discussed where they would be moved to yet.
Hazelwood Elementary School and Rolling Hills Middle School would each receive about $11 million if the bond passes.
Included on the laundry list of improvements needed in the district are upgrading student restrooms, replacing doors and alarm systems, re-roofing, installing new drinking fountains and gymnasiums, renovating classrooms and upgrading technology.
All of the registered voters in the district's service area may vote in the election. The service area includes all of Campbell and parts of San Jose, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Santa Clara and some unincorporated areas. The residents would be taxed $29 per $100,000 of assessed valuation of taxable property, Olszewski said.
The last bond measure passed in the district was in 1994, when voters approved Measure D, a $42 million bond.
Olszewski said that if the bond passes, construction would start as soon as possible. Board members are not sure how long construction would take at this point.
The Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters has not assigned the measure yet because the school board took action just recently on Dec. 4, deciding to go ahead with the March 2002 election.
The district began sending out informative pamphlets Dec. 3. While the pamphlets do not mention the upcoming election, they do mention the 1994 bond election and only hint at the new bond, saying, "Now, we need to finish original renovation and maintenance plans for the schools that haven't been updated yet."
Perhaps as an incentive for approving the future bond, the pamphlet also advertises the district schools' Academic Performance Index growth reports, which show that 75 percent of the district's schools met or exceeded their annual targets.
Prop. 39, passed by California voters in November 2000, authorizes bond measures for repair, construction or replacement of school facilities to be passed by a 55-percent majority of voters. It prohibits the use of bond funds for salaries or operating expenses and has a maximum debt service of 30 years; residents will not pay for the bond for more than that length of time.
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Campbell, California
