Election day is a week away, and on Tuesday TRUSD voters are being asked to approve bond measures J and K.
What are Measures J and K?
- Measure J calls for a $120 million bond to address facilities improvements used for middle and high school programs throughout the District, including ancillary and support facilities.
- Measure K calls for an election within the District’s Elementary School Facilities Improvement District (SFID), which was formed in 2016, for a $150 million Bond to address elementary school facilities improvements in the SFID.
TRUSD Trustee Basim Elkarra said “The average school is 57 years old in Twin Rivers. We have some of the oldest schools in the region, so we’re talking about changing the rusted pipes, the lead pipes, removing asbestos and also upgrading all the security”
According to the TRUSD website, Measures J and K will provide funding for Priority 1 and Priority 2 projects identified in TRUSD’s Long Range Facilities Master Plan.
Priority 1 projects are identified as having a high risk for disruption to classrooms and operations if not addressed in the next five years (these include legal and safety needs, critical replacements, and growth)
Priority 2 projects are those that should be addressed within the next 15 years to avoid disrepair (these include curricular, instruction and program needs, and crucial life-cycle replacements)
Modernization projects completed with funding from Measures J and K would be eligible for state matching funds, should they be available.
Measure J and Measure K will fund critical health and safety repairs such as:
- Enhance school security and safety features
- Replace lead pipes and provide safe drinking water
- Repair heating, air conditioning, and electrical systems
- Repair cracked pavement and deteriorating playgrounds
- Remove asbestos, mold, and lead paint
- Repair leaky roofs
- Improve security and emergency response systems
- Construct and equip classrooms with essential technology
Only one board trustee opposes the bond measures – Trustee Christine Jefferson, who represents Del Paso Heights, McClellan Park, and North Highlands.
“First of all, I don’t think our community can afford this bond. We’re currently paying on four bonds in our community right now. To add the two that they’re thinking about adding would be six bonds, a lot of our folks can’t even afford to put gas in their car, feed their families.”
Trustee Christine Jefferson
Twin Rivers also notes on the website that Measure J and Measure K will fund facility improvements and upgrades through property tax assessments. Measure J will levy a yearly tax of .023 cents per $100 assessed value, and Measure K will levy a yearly tax of .037 cents per $100 assessed value.
A Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee and a third-party auditor must review and audit all bond expenditures. This includes monitoring planned improvements, costs, schedule, and progress of the bonds.
Funds from these measures are prohibited from being used on administrators’ salaries, pensions, or benefits. Legal safeguards require all bond funds be spent on TRUSD school improvements.
A community town hall meeting will be held tonight (Tuesday) at Rio Linda High School from 6 to 8 p.m.
