La Mesa‑Spring Valley board orders November 2026 bond election to fund $131 million infrastructure package

On June 16, the La Mesa‑Spring Valley School Board approved Resolution 252631 to order a November 3, 2026 school bond election to seek funding for district facility repairs and upgrades.

District staff presented a facilities master plan and condition assessment showing widespread infrastructure needs: 18 of 21 campuses are over 60 years old and staff said many core systems — HVAC, roofing and electrical — are at or near the end of their useful life. “The potential proposal that we're looking at is about $131 million,” a district presenter said during the meeting.

Officials said the proposal is structured as a tax‑rate extension (extending an expiring rate rather than increasing the tax rate) and described a multi‑series issuance plan that would phase borrowing and construction across several years. Financial adviser Adam Bower walked the board through an illustrative issuance schedule and tax‑rate charts, and explained timing: the district expects to sell a first series (about $32.7 million in the example) in early 2027 with subsequent series in later years. Bower also noted federal tax rules the district must follow, saying the district should reasonably expect to spend 85% of proceeds within three years of sale.

Senior staff emphasized the strategy includes pursuing state facilities program funds (a reimbursement program) to leverage bond dollars and said polling by the district’s consultants showed roughly 70% support among likely voters for a measure that would not increase taxpayers' current rate while focusing on core infrastructure.

Board members asked detailed financial and programmatic questions about issuance timing, project prioritization and local labor practices. Staff said project lists in the ballot language must remain high level (75‑word legal limit on the official ballot question) but that more detailed project scopes would be developed if the measure is approved. Staff also said the district would maintain a citizens bond oversight committee and separate accounting for any new bond proceeds.

The board’s roll‑call action approved placing the measure on the November ballot and staff outlined next steps, including filing deadlines with the registrar and public outreach. The resolution (No. 252631) appeared on the meeting agenda and was explained by staff before the vote.

Next procedural steps: if placed on the ballot, the district must meet county filing deadlines and then, if voters approve the measure, issue bond series per the schedule and report to the citizens bond oversight committee on expenditures.