In a stunning endorsement of SMC, the Santa Monica-Malibu community voted overwhelmingly this month in favor of Measure U, SMC's $160 million bond measure to fund capital improvement projects.

Measure U was approved by 69.7 percent of the voters, well over the 55 percent needed for passage.

"We are deeply grateful to the voters of our college district," said SMC Board of Trustees Chair Dr. Patrick Nichelson. "This vote shows that SMC is a valued asset in the community and that our residents believe in the power of education."

"I want to thank all the volunteers and community supporters who understood the crucial need for Measure U and worked hard for its passage," said SMC President Dr. Piedad F. Robertson.

The bond measure will allow the college to complete replacement and modernization projects identified in a facilities assessment report prepared earlier this year. That report, prepared by 3D/International, identified 21 specific projects that include replacement buildings, seismic retrofitting, energy efficiency, safety and technology upgrades, environmental issues, campus perimeter and parking improvements, and more, to be completed over the next 10 to 12 years.

The bond measure will also fund a new, permanent home for Emeritus College, which will need to relocate once again due to the replacement planned for the downtown parking structure in which it is housed. Emeritus is a widely praised program designed for students 55 and older.

Funds will also be used for the purchase of the 10-acre BAE Systems property at Santa Monica Airport, which will be used as a satellite campus and for parking to ease the strain on the main campus at 1900 Pico Blvd.

The average cost of the bond will be $1.12 a month for renters and $77 a year for the average homeowner in Santa Monica and Malibu. The first year cost of the bond issue will be $16.21 per $100,000 in assessed valuation and the average cost over the life of the bond will be $19.21 per $100,000.

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