Facts About Measure U
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Ballot Language and Adopted Facilities List
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Staff Report on Resolution Calling for Bond Election
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Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee Bylaws
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SMC Home Page
We are grateful to the communities of Santa Monica and Malibu for their extraordinary support of the mission of Santa Monica College. Measure U will fund capital improvements at the College that will preserve quality education and improve safety.
Nineteen community college districts in California have attempted bond measures since the passage of Proposition 39 in November of 2000. Eighteen have been successful, and six of the districts have received greater than two-thirds support, including San Francisco at 73% yes, Santa Monica and Pasadena at 70% yes, Santa Clarita at 68% yes, and Los Angeles and Sonoma County at 67% yes.
Proposition 39 requires a list of specific projects to be funded from the bond to be adopted by the Board of Trustees prior to the election (see above).
Measure U bond monies may only be used for purposes permitted by law, and not for teacher and administrator salaries or other college operating expenses.
An annual performance audit is required to ensure that funds have been spent only on the specified list of projects.
An annual financial audit of the bond proceeds is required until all proceeds have been spent.
An independent committee will be appointed to review and report on the expenditure of bond proceeds and to advise the public on the district’s compliance with accountability requirements within 60 days of confirmation of election results.
The committee must include at least seven members, and must include seniors, a representative from a taxpayer association, a student, business people, and community members.
College employees, officials, vendors, contractors, and consultants are not eligible for membership on the independent committee.
Committee meetings are subject to the Brown Act.
The College Board of Trustees adopted the official Canvass Certificate and the official Statement of Votes Cast. The final yes vote was 69.99% of those cast. This was the highest margin of victory among the fourteen community college bond measures on the March 5, 2002, ballot.
The Board also voted to appoint members to the Citizen’s Bond Oversight Committee. Appointed are Luis Barrera, Jeff Gordon, Nancy Greenstein, Paul Leoni, Dr. Eleanore Meyer, Ed Moosbrugger, Jim Mount, Graham Pope, Herb Reich, Herb Rose, Bert Staggers, Linda Sullivan, Irma Vargas, Pierce Watson, Joe Weichman, and Allen Weiss. The committee will meet quarterly.
The College Board of Trustees adopted the Bylaws of the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee. The Bylaws are consistent with legislation regulating the Committee to actively review and report on the proper expenditure of taxpayers’ money for construction, and to prepare and present to the Board of Trustees an annual written report at a public meeting of the Board of Trustees. (See above for the adopted Bylaws. Committee documents can be found at the SMC Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee web page.)
Officers were elected at this first meeting of the Citizen’s Bond Oversight Committee. Graham Pope is chair, and Linda Sullivan is Vice-Chair. Minutes and documents presented at the meeting are available on the SMC Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee web page.
Compton College, El Camino College, and Rio Hondo College (Whittier) have all placed facilities bond measures on their local ballots for this November’s election (Compton at $100 million, El Camino at $394.5 million, and Rio Hondo at $194.6 million). If successful, all Los Angeles area community colleges will have passed facility bond measures in the last two years. Compton, El Camino, and Rio Hondo are single college districts.