SACRAMENTO—Following a statewide measure on March’s primary ballot, California voters have rejected a $15 billion bond to renovate the state’s aging schools.

According to a report by CBS Sacramento, Prop 13 promised to provide funds for new construction and repairs at campuses dealing with problems like leaky roofs, old wiring and toxic mold. It needed a simple majority to pass. But the “no” votes had a comfortable lead immediately after the March 3 election and only tightened slightly as several million additional ballots were counted.

According a statement from the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office, “Opponents said California has a large budget surplus and shouldn’t borrow more money. Taxpayers would have owed an estimated $11 billion in interest over the next 35 years as a result of Prop. 13.”

Republican state Sen. Brian Jones said voters “rightly wondered why the state was trying to pass more bonds and hike taxes rather than using those budget surpluses to help schools?”

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association led the opposition, which took particular issue with a provision that would have increased the limit on what a local school district could borrow, from 1.25% to 2% of assessed property value. The group feared that could have led to future tax increases to pay back the debt and said that the state should fund school facilities itself rather than adding to school districts’ debt.

California Governor Gavin Newsom—a supporter of this proposition— argued that the need for school repairs was crucial. The proposal was backed by teachers and firefighter unions, school boards and Democratic state lawmakers.

According to a report by the Public Policy Institute of California, 70% of California’s 10,000 public schools are 25 years or older, with 10% of them at least 70 years old.

Approximately $9 billion from the measure would have gone to K-12 schools, with priority given to addressing health and safety concerns such as removing asbestos and eliminating lead from drinking water.

Of that, $5.8 billion would have went toward improving school facilities; $2.8 billion for new construction; and $500 million each for charter schools and facilities for technical education.

According to local media, this proposition also would have allocated $6 billion for higher education, which last benefited from a statewide bond measure in 2006. The funding would have been split evenly, with $2 billion each for community colleges, the California State University system and the University of California system.

The post $15 Billion California School Upgrade Bond Rejected appeared first on School Construction News.