Measure F, a $7.5 million general obligation bond (G.O.) for West Side School improvements and facility updates, projected to pass Tuesday night in a close race with 57.20% of the “yes” votes and 42.80% the “no” votes according to the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters. In order to pass the bond required a 55% supermajority vote.
Despite the apparent passage of the measure, the final count will not be official until March 31.
This was the first time the West Side Union School District put forth a measure on the ballot for a G.O.
“We are extremely grateful for the community’s support of the West Side Bond Measure F,” said West Side School principal and superintendent, Kris Menlove. “On behalf of the school board, families, and staff, I personally want to thank the West Side community for their support for the passage of the Measure F. The support for growth, safety and opportunity for all students is greatly appreciated.”
The bond will help fund several projects including updates to the aging heating, venting and air-conditioning system, improvements to the student drop-off and pick up area and the construction of a multi-purpose room with a cafeteria.
It will also help fund the modernization and construction of classrooms, restrooms and school facilities and improvements to the playgrounds and playfields.
G.O. bonds are similar to home loans in that the bonds are typically repaid over 30 years and the loan repayment comes from a tax on taxable property — residential, commercial, agriculture and industrial — located in the school district’s boundaries, according to a flyer about Measure F from West Side School.
In terms of what the next step is for the district, a citizen’s bond oversight committee will be formed to monitor expenditures from the bonds and prioritize projects, according to Menlove.
The committee will be comprised of staff members, teachers, parents and West Side community members.
In a Feb. 13 article about Measure F, The Tribune spoke with Menlove about what the bond means for property owners in the West Side Union School District.
When asked what the measure would mean for property owners, Menlove said, “The tax rate per property owner is estimated to be $30 per $100,000 of assessed evaluation, so if my house if $500,000, it means I am going to then have that $150.”
Residents can check their property tax statement to view their current assessed valuation.
