Santa Paula Unified board approves $48.6 million bond measure for November ballot, asks staff to tighten ballot language

The Santa Paula Unified School District board voted to place a bond measure on the Nov. 3 ballot that would, if approved by voters, authorize the district to issue up to $48,600,000 in general obligation bonds to finance specified school facility projects.

Superintendent Weinstein told the board that the resolution authorizes bonds "to provide financing for specific types of school facilities projects listed in the bond project list included below," and noted that passage requires approval by at least 55% of voters under current law. He also warned trustees that a separate measure being discussed at the state level could retroactively raise the approval threshold to two-thirds.

Trustees pressed staff for clearer, more site-specific ballot language and for assurances that campaign outreach be grassroots in scope. One trustee said prior measures failed narrowly and "knocking on doors" and a focused community campaign could make the difference. Trustees also discussed including local hiring priorities, such as concentric-circles first-hire language in project-labor agreements, and asked that the abbreviated ballot language and appendix be reviewed before submission to the county.

The board moved to approve the resolution while directing staff to return with revised bond-language and campaign-formation plans. The motion was moved by Trustee Ramos and seconded by Trustee Kumazawa; the chair conducted a board vote and declared the motion passed. The board recorded its intent to pursue grassroots outreach in partnership with unions and community groups and to review the abbreviated ballot text before county filing.

Next steps: staff will revise ballot language, return to the board for review, and begin forming a campaign committee to shepherd outreach and fundraising ahead of November.