WHEN FACILITY MAINTENANCE, REPAIR AND OTHER ORDINARY OPERATING EXPENSES ARE SHAMELESSLY IGNORED IN FAVOR OF MORE FOR SALARIES AND BENEFITS, IT’S DISINGENUOUS TO ARGUE BONDS DON’T INDIRECTLY FUND HIGHER EMPLOYEE SALARIES AND BENEFITS!

Welcome to the Silicon Valley Property Taxpayers’ Association - It’s Disingenuous to Argue portion of our Web Site.

According to the full text of most bond measures [such as Measure C], “BY LAW...PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE OF THE BONDS AUTHORIZED BY THIS PROPOSITION SHALL [NOT] BE USED...FOR...TEACHERS’ AND ADMINISTRATORS’ SALARIES AND OTHER OPERATING EXPENSES.” 

But when administrators:

Admit that “the need for repair and renovation will not go away. “Repair and renovation [is an ongoing requirement and that]...delaying repairs...only add[s] to the maintenance budget and take[s] away from instructional funds;”

Admit that “construction costs...continue to increase, making future repairs more expensive;”

Admit that notwithstanding the foregoing, “ongoing management and facility improvements” have been ignored for decades;

Admit that “many classrooms…and…labs have not been modernized since they were built almost a half-century ago;” 

Admits to “many ceilings [being] water stained and damaged due to aging roofs;” “aging electrical equipment [being]...inadequate;” “aging sinks [and]...pipes [being] part of...needed...major plumbing renovations;” and, “cracks in pavement [and]...asbestos insulat[ed]...vent[s being]...safety hazards;

Admit that even if “100% of...funding...not required for [those very few]...special purpose programs and personnel-related costs [i.e., employee salaries and benefits] were annually devoted to facility and equipment maintenance, renovation and replacement costs, the district could not [even] begin to cover the expense associated with these hard [facility] needs; NOT 20 years ago; NOT today;”

Admit that 83% of the budget goes to pay for employee salaries and benefits; and thus,

Concludes that “bottom line...the district’s only practical option for funding these needs [is]...through [a never-ending series of new]...local bond measure[s];” 

It becomes readily apparent that facility and equipment maintenance, renovation and replacement is in fact being shortchanged in favor of employee salaries, benefits and other operating expenses making it disingenuous to argue bonds aren’t being “USED...FOR...TEACHERS’ AND ADMINISTRATORS’ SALARIES AND OTHER OPERATING EXPENSES.”

If you agree the bond measure that has led you to this web site is being used to indirectly fund higher employee salaries, more benefits and other operating expenses; and you resent the fact your local revenue district has intentionally shortchanged facility and equipment maintenance, renovation and replacement to create the illusion of “need;” we urge you to VOTE NO!

Should you have questions or comments, please address them to Silicon Valley Property Taxpayers’ Association at:

info@svpta.net

© Silicon Valley Property Taxpayers’ Association, 2006 [Revised Monday, October 16, 2006] - Terms and Conditions of your use of this Web Site.

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