$490.8 million plan needs explaining
Yes, that $490.8 million figure you read last week is correct. The Foothill-De Anza Community College District Board of Trustees last week agreed to go to the voters in June with a facilities renovation bond measure that almost doubles 1999’s Measure E.
That $248 million measure was supposed to have been the cure that ailed both Foothill and De Anza campuses, but accomplished only part of the job. This was due to dramatically rising construction costs and the added cost of rebuilding Foothill’s campus center after the discovery of an earthquake fault under the old facility.
In addition to finishing the renovations initially planned under Measure E, officials want to add a satellite campus, more technology upgrades, additional parking, a new science building at Foothill and a learning center at De Anza, along with new administrative offices.
It’s a tall order for taxpayers with the June 6 election only four months away. The cost, at $24 per $100,000 assessed valuation of property, would cost property owners in the district an average of $117 annually. Naturally, in Los Altos and Los Altos Hills, where homes are more expensive, taxpayers would pay more. A $1 million home, a bargain in Los Altos, would result in $240 a year toward the bond.
We want the Foothill-De Anza district to continue to succeed, and the district has enjoyed longstanding community support. Most of us understand the vital role the district plays. Its success rubs off on all of us. That said, it is schools officials’ obligation to sell the need for this bond to district residents.
We understand that community colleges are typically the most underfunded in the state’s education budget. We acknowledge that additional money from the state is unlikely as legislators work out of a nagging deficit. Still, this measure is likely to be met with more scrutiny than the 1999 proposal - especially in the wake of state Sen. Joe Simitian’s bill that allowed bond measures to be passed with a 55 percent vote rather than the previous two-thirds majority.
It is up to district officials to explain why what is proposed in this $490.8 million bond measure is sorely needed - and explain the consequences if the measure does not pass. The community needs to appreciate that considerable time and thought went into the proposal and that some needs were cut to keep the costs down. It’s also important to know that by law, a citizens advisory committee would be appointed to oversee the project. We expect there will be public forums discussing these issues.
We know rising construction costs are hurting publicly funded projects everywhere - just ask officials at El Camino Hospital, where costs to rebuild the main tower and other renovations are now estimated at $450 million. At the same time, it’s important for Foothill-De Anza officials to make clear to residents where their $490.8 million will be going.
