Most voters across the county will be asked to decide on one of 11 school bonds on the November ballot totaling billions of dollars.
Those bond measures include a $3.5 billion proposal from the San Diego Unified School District, a $150 million bond measure for Chula Vista Elementary School District and a $403 million measure for Sweetwater Union High School District.
San Diego Unified School District
San Diego Unified’s proposed bond is a 30-year borrowing measure, which would bring $3.5 billion through a property tax increase. If approved by voters, it would be the largest bond in the school district’s history.
If it passes by 55 percent of voters, it would be the third time in 10 years that taxpayers approved a tax hike for additional capital improvement projects within San Diego Unified.
The school district says the money will pay for improving school security, emergency communications, door locks, repairing foundations, bathrooms, and plumbing and removing lead in drinking water.
Local
The measure would raise the tax rate by an extra 6 cents per $100 assessed value on property taxes.
That would amount to approximately an extra $300 in taxes on a $500,000 home. The San Diego Taxpayer’s Association estimates the total cost of the bond, including principal and interest, will be $7.5 billion and the repayment ratio is anticipated to be 2.14 to 1.
Sweetwater Union High School District
Sweetwater’s proposed bond would bring the South Bay high school district $403 million by increasing property taxes.
The measure would require approval of more than a majority of voters or 55 percent of the electorate.
The District is proposing to raise the tax rate by an estimated $24.50 per $100,000 or an estimated $120 on an average $500,000 home for the next 30 years.
The school district has informed voters none of the money will pay for administrator salaries. The funds will repair and upgrade classrooms, libraries, and science labs and prepare students for college and careers.
It will also be used to remove hazardous asbestos and lead and improve school safety, according to the district.
Chula Vista Elementary School District
Chula Vista Elementary School District is asking voters for permission to borrow $150 million in bonds by increasing property taxes.
If approved by 55 percent of voters, the district would fund school safety, security, technology and energy efficiency improvements, according to the ballot measure.
The bond proposal would raise property taxes by 2 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, while the bonds are outstanding for about 30 years. That would amount to approximately $100 per year in property taxes on an average $500,000 home.
Del Mar Union School District
The Board of Trustees for the Del Mar Union School District voted to place a $186 million school bond measure on the Nov. 6 ballot.
The North County elementary school district has informed voters the funds, if approved, will be used to reconstruct deteriorated school facilities, and on plumbing, roofs, electrical systems and to renovate classrooms.
The district plans to issue the $186 million in bonds raising $9.8 million per year for 30 years by levying an approximate 3 cent tax hike per $100 assessed property value. For the average $700,000 home, this would amount to an extra $210 per year in taxes.
Carlsbad Unified
Carlsbad Unified will need 55 percent of voters to approve a $265 million bond measure.
The school district which serves an approximately 42 square mile area in the northern coastal San Diego area has many schools that are aging, according to the school district.
It plans to upgrade classrooms, science labs and fix deteriorating roofs with the bond money, if approved by voters.
The money would be raised by adding approximately $172 per year on property taxes on $500,000 homes.
Other Districts
Other school districts asking voters to approve bond measures include South Bay Union, Mountain Empire Unified, Vista Unified and Santee school districts.
