During its meeting on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, the PVPUSD Board of Education gave direction to staff to “explore the feasibility of a bond measure” in 2024. This is the first step in a process to determine if and when the district will seek voters’ approval of a possible bond. The district and board have not yet decided to move forward with a proposed bond.
We are committed to keeping the PVPUSD community updated and informed throughout this process. The board will likely make their final decision regarding a bond measure in June 2024.
School bonds are essentially loans that allow school districts to fund large capital projects, such as renovating older school buildings. These low-risk bonds are issued and sold on the bond market and can provide tax-free gains to the purchaser. The district, in return, levies a higher millage rate on the public in the form of temporarily higher taxes to pay back the value and interest on the bonds.
The possibility of higher taxes means bonds are voted on by the local public before they can be issued.
We are approaching a critical point at which our facility infrastructure is failing, leading to unprecedented challenges over the past three years. Despite repeated maintenance, we are experiencing multiple serious safety issues, including seismic risks, sewer problems, gas leaks, and limited electrical capacity requiring replacement wiring.
Most recently, in February 2024, a flash surge melted the electrical panel at Miraleste Intermediate School, resulting in the forced closure of that building for three school days. Emergency situations like this will continue to occur as our facilities continue to deteriorate. If action is not taken soon, we will not be able to continue to operate at the level our families and community have come to expect from PVPUSD.
Before a school bond can be issued, it needs to be approved by the voters in the district. Therefore, the district needs to assess whether there is enough support for the bond and if the proposed property tax increase would be acceptable to the community. This exploration process will also help us align any potential bond measure with the expectations and desires of our community.
Yes, the district will revisit and update the Facility Master Plan alongside exploring the feasibility of a bond measure.
The district has examined all other options for securing funding for school facilities. The general obligation bond is the district’s only opportunity to improve its facilities, given the aging infrastructure and needs of its buildings.
The fact that the last bond measure was unsuccessful does not mean future measures will be. Our community has a history of approving local bonds and supporting its public schools.
The reference to “UNIFIED SCHOOLS” relates to the district’s general obligation bonds approved by the voters through Measure K on June 6, 2000, and Measures R and S, on November 9, 2005. Information about these previous modernization projects can be found on our Facilities Information web page. Information about the General Obligation bonds, issue dates, and maturity dates can be found on page 36 of the PVPUSD Audit Report.
Nearly two decades have passed since the last bond measure was approved, and the projects included in that bond have been successfully completed. Now, with critical projects requiring urgent funding, a new general obligation bond is essential to ensure our district’s ability to continue to function successfully.
Yes, PVPUSD has the lowest tax rate per $100,000 in Los Angeles County, at $22.77. This is important because tax dollars go toward funding public schools. While neighboring communities have passed local bond measures recently, PVPUSD has not had an approved bond since 2005.
Part of exploring the feasibility of a bond measure involves determining the tax rate that aligns with the community's comfort level, and tailoring projects and the bond measure amount accordingly to ensure they meet both the needs of the district and the expectations of its residents.
A recent survey, conducted by Isom Advisors, aimed to measure community support for a variety of necessary projects, as well as community tax tolerances. The results of that survey will be used to inform board members as they make decisions moving forward in the exploration process.
We are committed to keeping the tax rate low for the PVPUSD community. It is likely that even if a general obligation bond was passed, our tax rate would remain one of the lowest in Los Angeles County. A comparison chart is available below that shows the current tax rate per $100,000 of assessed value in some of our neighboring school districts.