Belmont-Redwood Shores School District seeks $171 million bond

Though the bond dollars will go toward facility improvements, Trustee David Koss said Measure P will provide local controlled funding that affects the larger community as well. 

“It’s going out to all the voters, not just those using the schools,” Koss said. “We recognize, as a community, that public schools benefit [from] the quality of life in our community. When you walk around our neighborhoods, you get that feel.”

The Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association opposes the measure, with its main argument that taxpayers are already burdened too greatly with government debt, and promotes private schooling.

“Rather than build new schools, school boards should encourage families to switch to private alternatives, so that their existing facilities will be enough to handle those who remain, and take advantage of decreasing enrollment to sell some of their facilities and use the proceeds to improve the others,” the filed argument against the measure reads. 

The $171 million will go toward replacing technology, updating HVAC systems and establishing flexible use classrooms conducive for art, music and after-school activities, Superintendent Dan Deguara said. Many of the universal updates look to bring all the facilities up to date with the 21st century learning, he said.

“All of the wiring, the switches, all of that stuff has become pretty much antiquated and end of life, end of span, end of even being serviceable, so we’re making that a priority,” Deguara said. 

In its rebuttal to measure proponents, the Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association said the district’s previous bond measure of $48 million, passed in 2014, already addressed updating classroom computers. 

Individual site improvements are also considered in the Facilities Master Plan, hoping to address some of the schools that did not see as many improvements from the district’s last bond issuance, such as Fox, Central and Redwood Shores elementary schools, Deguara said. 

The bond looks to allow the district to consider “everything that’s possible” that is “inclusive of all of our schools” Koss said. 

Some upgrades outlined in the Master Facilities Plan include a new performance arts center at Ralston Middle School and new environmentally friendly landscaping at the district’s K-8 schools, Sandpiper and Nesbit, Koss said. 

“The facilities master plan is aspirational,” Koss said. “There’s the need-to-haves — the leaky roofs, the repairs — but there’s also the nice-to-haves who are really aspirational.” 

The district recently closed the loop on a recent bond measure approved by voters in 2014. By refinancing past bonds, the district has saved taxpayers $20 million, Deguara said. 

“We’ve always been really good with fiscal management and accountability,” Deguara said. 

This came in handy last year when there was a sinkhole at Ralston Elementary, and the sizable expense was addressed with bond dollars, Deguara said. 

“Because we’ve had active bond dollars, we are able to use those dollars for facilities needs,” Deguara said. “We don’t have to use district general fund dollars, which can go for teaching and learning of our students.”

The bond measure, issued and paid back through property taxes over time, requires 55% approval by voters. Measure P would cost $29 per $100,000 of assessed value of property per year. 

“We want residents to know we’re extremely grateful for our community’s support,” Deguara said. “Our community has always supported our bond and our parcel taxes and I think that is a statement that shows that we have confidence in the work we’re doing and the things we’re doing for students and our community.”