Solano Community College bond proposition, Measure Q (November 2012)
A Solano Community College bond proposition ballot question was on the November 6, 2012, ballot for voters in the Solano Community College District in Solano County and Yolo County, where it was approved.[1]
Measure Q authorizes the community college district to borrow $348 million.
The Solano Community College has three main campuses. They are in Fairfield, Vacaville and Vallejo.
Voters in the district approved a $124 million bond proposition in 2002.[1]
A 55 percent supermajority vote was required for approval.
Aftermath
Grand jury report
On June 29, 2015, a grand jury released a report–titled "Measure Q: We Have Your Money, Now What?"–strongly criticizing the Solano Community College district for its tactics when trying to get Measure Q approved in 2012. The grand jury pointed out that state law requires an itemized facilities plan for the use of any bond measure revenue, stating that there was no evidence that any such facilities plan was completed until 2014, two years after the approval of Measure Q. This means voters approved the $348 million bond measure even though no specific needs or purposes were listed, as required by law.[2]
The report stated, “The cart was put before the horse – rather than identifying the specific needs of the college, and figuring out the costs of those needs, the district sought first to identify the amount of money it could obtain through the public through a bond measure.”[2]
Solano College Superintendent-President Jowel Laguerre defended Measure Q's undefined purpose, saying the district board “deliberately elected not to tie its hands with an exact list of Measure Q projects. Instead, we have taken the time to carefully research how we will best spend your tax dollars and have kept in mind the potential for projects that were ‘on the horizon’ but not finalized as we worked to pass the bond.”[2]
The grand jury also criticized the ballot language that was presented to voters in 2012 for Measure Q as deliberately misleading. The jury said the district used popular phrases such as "veterans", "affordable education" and "job training" to sell the measure to voters even though the use of the bonds was legally restricted to the construction and maintenance of facilities. The report specifically pointed out that the voter pamphlet referred to Measure Q as the "Solano Community College District Student/Veterans’ Affordable Education, Job Training measure" and that the measure's ballot language said the bond money would go towards "Expanding student, military, disabled veteran access to affordable education," among other purposes. The jury's report stated:
| “ |
Job training is not allowed under (state law), nor are job placement programs. Any relationship between offering high school students college courses or ‘high-quality affordable college options’ and buildings, facilities or land purchases is difficult to understand. Measure Q is presented as much more than bricks and mortar. It is difficult to ascertain how a physical building or land acquisition relates to ‘affordable education.' The casual attitude of some of the college administration coupled with its assumption that voters would positively respond to buzz words like ‘veterans,’ ‘disabled’ and ‘job training’ ... [resulted in] a bond that was not properly presented, and was arguably misleading at best.[3] |
” |
| —Solano County Grand Jury[2] | ||
The jury's report also noted that bonds designed to mature in 40 years, such as the Measure Q bonds, result in exorbitant interest costs for taxpayers and that the district should have looked into a smaller, short-term bond issue.[2]
The grand jury concluded that no criminal action was committed by the district board, but wrote:
| “ |
however, the loose manner in which the college conducts its business leaves it open to the potential appearance of misfeasance... A lack of engagement and oversight by the board of trustees, coupled with a cavalier attitude on the part of some of its members is an issue of great concern. [...] The language of Measure Q was misleading and contradictory. And failed to comply with the California Constitution and other applicable statutes, instead playing on the voter’s emotions in effort to obtain $348 million in funding to be paid back over a period of 40 years.[3] |
” |
| —Solano County Grand Jury[2][4] | ||
Election results
| Measure E | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County: | Yes | No | ||
| Votes | % | Votes | % | |
| Solano County | 88,083 | 63.52% | 50,593 | 36.48% |
| Yolo County | 1,551 | 61.7% | 962 | 38.3% |
| Totals: | 89,634 | 63.49% | 51,555 | 36.51% |
- Final official results from the Solano County elections office and the Yolo County elections office (dead link).
Support
- Jowel Laguerre is the superintendent/president of the college. Laguerre said, "This measure will help ensure that the college can continue to provide high-quality, affordable college options for students, active military and local veterans."[1]
- Carol Larson is the owner of Georgia House Graphics. Larson said, "In these challenging economic times, a community college is more important than ever, and it is crucial that the college is up-to-date and well-equipped to help students have the resources necessary for the high-skilled opportunities in today's job market."[1]
Opposition
- Richard Giddens is a resident of Suisun City and a retired Air Force master sergeant. He said that the college district is part of "bloated government" and is not delivering good value to taxpayers in the district.[1]
Ballot question
The question on the ballot:
| Measure Q: "To prepare Solano / Yolo County students / veterans for universities / jobs by: Expanding student, military, disabled veteran access to affordable education; Meeting earthquake / fire safety codes; upgrading employer job placement facilities; Upgrading engineering, welding, nursing / firefighter training centers; Acquiring, constructing /repairing facilities, sites / equipment, shall Solano Community College District issue $348,000,000 in bonds, at legal rates, with citizens’ oversight, annual audits / no money for pensions / administrators’ salaries?"[3] |
Path to the ballot
The governing board of the Solano Community College District voted 7-1 in early August 2012 to refer the measure to the November 6, 2012, ballot. Trustee Catherine Ritch was the dissenting vote.[1]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 The Tempest, "Board approves $348 million bond measure for November ballot," August 2, 2012
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Daily Republic, "Grand jury blasts Solano College over $348M Measure Q," July 1, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "quotedisclaimer" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ The Reporter, "Grand jury releases searing report on Solano College’s Measure Q," June 30, 2015
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This article about a local California ballot measure is a sprout. |