Time not right to tax for 'convenience'

By: North County Times Opinion Staff | Friday, February 1, 2008 9:53 AM PST ∞

Our view: Menifee district has enough schools to handle growth for some time

All around Southwest County, school districts are cutting back on, if not completely abandoning, once-ambitious plans to build new schools. The souring housing market began taking its toll on enrollment projections about two years ago, and now schools in Temecula, Murrieta and Lake Elsinore have seen student population growth come to a virtual halt.

But in Menifee, where two new elementary schools are set to open this summer, district officials are asking homeowners to approve a $31.5 million bond that would help pay for the construction of two more elementaries and a middle school. The bond would add about $36 a year for 25 years to the tax bill of someone with a house with an assessed value of $200,000.

The bond campaign's chairman, Keith Velotta, says the bond would finally allow the district to "catch up with growth." That may be partially true, but the numbers suggest the real purpose behind the bond is to allow the K-8 district to move off of its year-round calendar and onto a more traditional summers-off schedule. The numbers also suggest the timing of this bond request is flawed.

While other districts are expecting to grow very little, if at all, in the next few years, Menifee is still projecting student numbers to grow by 2 percent next school year, and 3 percent the year after that. Even accepting those projections, the district would have about 9,250 students in two years. The capacity of its 11 schools ---- including the two new schools opening in July ----- is 9,600 on a traditional calendar, but 12,000 if it sticks with its year-round schedule.

But a third middle school is also in the works and should open in two or three years, adding room for another 1,500 students, and giving the district room for 11,000 kids, even under a traditional system, and about 13,500 under the existing year-round schedule. That's a 50 percent increase over the current enrollment.

With several large housing developments already approved for Menifee, there's little doubt the district will one day need those schools, the question is when. If the housing market turns around within a year or two, it could be sooner than later, but it's fairly clear they aren't needed now and likely won't be for at least five more years, and possibly longer.

Unless, of course, the real goal of the bond is to get the district's students on a traditional calendar. There's nothing wrong with such a goal ---- but bond organizers should be up front about what their primary objective is. If parents and other voters believe getting kids onto a regular school calendar is worthy, they should vote Tuesday for the bond.

All the evidence suggests to us, however, that this bond is premature, and that the campaign is misleading. The schools set to open this summer and the new middle school under way will handle the district's growth for some time to come if the district stays on its year-round calendar. Menifee officials should have recognized the changing landscape a year ago and backed off plans to put it before voters. It's too late now, unfortunately, and we find ourselves in the unusual position of recommending that voters say no to this bond.

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Pre-Registration Comments[-]Go to Top

What's the Problem? wrote on Feb 1, 2008 7:48 AM:If the residents of Menifee want to have their kids on the traditional calendar year versus year round, and the only way to do that is to build more schools - what's the big deal? When its any business of the NC Times what voters want to do in their own City, the voters will ask the NC Times for its opinion. Until the, butt out and mind your own business!

who are you? wrote on Feb 1, 2008 7:49 AM:The NCT saying no to a school bond? What's going on here? They never say no to bonds!!

To What's the Problem wrote on Feb 1, 2008 8:28 AM:I care what they think! Schools are always crying poor and I appreciate the paper looking at the numbers from an unbiased POV. I pay enough taxes already, and from what this says the district has enough room to go to regular schedule already without my money. Room for almost 3,000 more kids when the new middle school opens. So get out of my wallet already!

Then Vote No wrote on Feb 1, 2008 12:26 PM:You live a democracy where majority rules. If the majority wants this bond to pass you have the option of moving out. If you don't like the rules of our country, you can leave anytime you like. In the meantime, people and newspapers who don't live in the area need to keep their opinions to themselves. This issue is solely for the residents of Menifee to decide on their own.

Wow but wondering..... wrote on Feb 1, 2008 3:08 PM:....if the NC Times will give the same advice (& print the numbers too) when the TVUSD tries to go after another GOB. Oh it's coming as they need to demonstrate they'll have half the funding to build to get their hands on State money (remember the State bonds that passed last year?).

TVUSD has Cashed-out Refunded its General Obligation Only Bond wrote on Feb 1, 2008 4:11 PM:They've cashed-out Refunded upon the original 1989 Measure O Bond written for 25 years in the amount of $65,000,000.00.
They've done it four times.
They invested in high rate junk interest bonds. They acted as their own Lead Agent whick is illegal for a school District to do. They lost up front $25 million dollars. After five years in the courts with attorneys, they lost an estimated $28.5 million of the $65 million.

Who gave the rights to the TVUSD to tax we citizens? wrote on Feb 1, 2008 4:29 PM:There are 8 mellos roos districts within the TVUSD Boundaries of Temecula, the unincorporated areas, parts of Murrieta and Winchester WHO ARE PART OF THE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY MAPS OF TVUSD.
The City of Temecula City Council Members and possibly the County of Riverside Supervisor gave Direct Bridging Rights to the TVUSD Governing School Board. THEY ABSOLUTELY SHOULD NOT BE INCHARGE OF THEMSELVES. THEY BROKE THE GENERAL OBLIGATIVE LAWS BOTH FEDERALLY AND STATE. THE LAWS FOR SCHOOLS HAD TO BE REWRITTEN DUE TO TVUSD AND AN ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
The General Obligation Bond is ONLY over SEEN by THEMSELVES. Do you understand why they held no community hearings and gave no NEWSPAPER discussions of over taxing us?
Now, in 2008 Jeff Okun stated on a document that he placed the $8 million dollar GOB Cash-out REFUNDING in the wrong place, AND that is why it has not been listed. But, the 1994 double cash-out refunding is not listed ither.

Until new laws are written to protect the Taxpayers wrote on Feb 1, 2008 4:36 PM:I would never vote again for a General Obligation Bond.
TVUSD has cashed-out REFUNDING and upfront monies us to death. And, we never approved/voted for new taxation for more money.
TVUSD with leveraging on their mellow roos developments has added on additional taxation and extended out CFD Bonds for addition years, as well.
Dah......
We trusted you.
And, now you show ZERO dollars owed on the books, and we have extended out General Obligation Bond taxation and additional mellos roos taxation on EIGHT Larger Developers owned properties.

Strange statement about Temecula Unified School District wrote on Feb 1, 2008 4:40 PM:Their March 6, 2007 Allocation Report Justification to need more schools stated that in 2006-2007 their student enrollment ADA attendance at year end was 29,606 students.
But, their demographics have changed too. Now they are showing a future student growth rate estimated percentage to be over two years instead of their and all city/county/and other school districts method of using ONLY one fiscal school year to forecast their growth?
What gives?

Murrieta and Lake Elsinore have integrity wrote on Feb 1, 2008 4:58 PM:They would never do what Barbara Tooker and her string of fellow Board Members have done to the Temecula Valley.

They advertise their wishes. They forecasted their wishes AND NEVER to knowledge I've found....have they leveraged their GOB's or any mellos roos.

THEY do not govern as their own Legislative Body.

Huh? wrote on Feb 2, 2008 7:15 AM:What does Tooker, TVUSD and GOB have to do with the Menifee issue? Seems like TVUSD's teachers are bored. Stay focused guys and respond just to the article, not your private vendettas.

English, please? wrote on Feb 2, 2008 12:43 PM:Looks like the person posting about TVUSD is off his/her meds... What is any of that supposed to mean in English, and does s/he have the slightest bit of evidence to back up what s/he's saying? If so, why haven't you taken it to the DA's office? (Or are they in on the scam, too?)

Have you heard of Val Verde wrote on Feb 4, 2008 4:12 AM:There are Districts abusing General Obligation Laws and some abusing Cash-out Refunding.
What it does is give them extra up front millions and extend out your debts without your new Voter approval.
No one tells you should have to watch for "unethical behavior".

Dear English wrote on Feb 4, 2008 4:15 AM:The Dept. of Ed. is allowing school districts to do this any time you can save money in interest costs. A General Obligation Bond is sold as Bonds in Sections.

New Schools Ahead of Time wrote on Feb 4, 2008 4:19 AM:TVUSD let a brand new high school stand vacant; Chaparral.
TVUSD let a brand new elementary school stand vacant for 17 months; Temecula Luiseno Elementary.

If your developer monies are being kept separated properly, those monies will not go away.

Yes, costs to build go up, but if you are over crowded and don't have all of the monies, your school District can apply for Hardship Monies and possibly get 100% of the monies from the state to build new schools.

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