Yes on Proposition A
Schools Improvement and Safety Bond
What is it?
Prop A is a bond to fund improvements, repairs, and upgrades to existing San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) public school buildings, and to fund the construction of a new "central food hub" which will cook and distribute lunches to schools without cafeterias (like elementary schools).
Uses
Specifically, the bond may be used only for the following:
- Comprehensive safety and compliance upgrades, including seismic improvements, hazardous material removal, and security enhancements.
- Infrastructure modernization, involving repairs to damaged buildings, upgrades to essential systems, and improved accessibility for people with disabilities.
- Expansion and renovation of facilities, encompassing classroom additions, common area improvements, and outdoor space enhancements to better serve students and staff.
Oversight
The School District is required to create an independent citizens' oversight committee to monitor the use of funds
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Click to show fiscal impacts and more detailsCollapse details
Fiscal impacts
The bond is for $790 million, and will be paid for via existing property taxes. On average that will cost $13 per $100,000 in property value, annually for thirty years. The total repayment amount will be approximately $1.298 billion.
Why is this on the ballot?
The San Francisco Board of Education voted to put this school bond on the ballot.
California Education Code section 15266 and Section 18 of Article XVI of the California Constitution mandate that School District bonds be put to a vote. Bonds must be approved by the voters by a 55% + 1 majority.
- Placed on ballot by: Unanimously by all seven Board of Education members
Why vote Yes?
San Francisco's existing public schools are in various states of disrepair. Prop A will address decades of deferred maintenance, ensure all children have heated classrooms and clean bathrooms, and that every elementary school child has access to a fresh and healthy lunch, made locally.
Bonds are an excellent way to pay for the construction and improvement of physical structures like buildings, roads, and other vital city infrastructure. That's because the bond allows residents to immediately benefit from the new infrastructure while paying it back over time with inflated dollars.
To drive home the need for this bond, here's a photo of a San Francisco public school bathroom. Yes, the stalls really don't have doors.
