My Shot
Why invest in Measure U? We have excellent teachers. We have motivated kids and developing athletes. They should have modern facilities in which to teach, learn and compete.
Truckee High School is nearly 60 years old. It desperately needs modernization, structural shoring up and additional space for classrooms. The fields are in complete disrepair and virtually impossible to maintain. There’s very little current technology or related infrastructure. The library is ‘original.’
Our vocational education programs require expansion. Many of our students are spending their day in 23-year old portables that are in poor condition. Pick up, drop off and parking are severe safety issues for both the younger Truckee Elementary children along with new drivers at the High School.
Truckee Elementary is hugely below State play space requirements. Our Elementary schools are full and projected to grow over the next seven years. The Old Sierra Mountain Middle School needs to become equipped to handle these students.
During the research phase, Truckee voters clearly told us that a High School ‘tear down’ was too expensive. However, modernization – with some new construction – at a substantially lower cost would be supported.
So how much does Measure U cost? Beginning in 2009, we will pay $13 per $100,000 of assessed property value until 2025, for a total of $47 per $100,000 (Measure C plus Measure U). When Measure C is paid off, Measure U will move up to the 1999 approved amount of $48 per $100,000 until 2052. Remember, Truckee voters approved this cap almost ten years ago for C and are only paying $34 per $100,000 today – 35 percent less than projected due to good bond management and increased property values.
If your house is assessed at the median price of $319,000, U will cost $41.47 per year. As a modest comparison, take a look at your monthly cable or satellite bill. I’ll bet one month’s bill is close to or even higher than what it costs us to deliver modern educational facilities to our Truckee students over the course of 12 months.
There’s a common misperception that the District brings in loads of money in ‘Developer Fees’ and can afford to do many of these projects without a bond. A Developer Fee comes from builders when they build a home. The fees are required to go toward issues that have a nexus to local growth (i.e. new classrooms, portables, expanding a field, adding parking etc.) on a very small-scale basis. Developer Fees are ‘spend as you go,’ dependent on economic conditions and hard to project.
Unfortunately, there isn’t enough money to initiate or complete large projects, such as a school modernization. Given our soft economy, developer fees have decreased significantly and continue to decline. In 2008, these dollars amount to approximately $2.5 million per year. Our old buildings are energy inefficient and expensive to heat and maintain. There aren’t nearly enough Developer Fees to fix THS – now or in the future. We need Measure U.
Now you may be thinking, ‘So why did Measure L lose in June?’ That’s actually an easy answer. First, L only lost by 117 votes! It passed in Placer County and had the overall majority vote in Nevada County. The net voter turnout was extremely low – 435 of the voters who pledged to support L never showed up to the polls.
Become educated on the facts of this vital measure. Visit Uforschools.org or contact me.
~ Alison Elder, Measure U Campaign Chair
