Planning for the
2014 G.O. Bond Election
Session #: CBO32
Date: Saturday, April 6
Time: 10:30 - 11:30 AM.
These materials have been prepared for the CASBO CBO Professional Council. They have not been reviewed by
2013
CASBO
& official
SCHOOL
BUSINESS
EXPO
State CASBO
for ANNUAL
approval, soCONFERENCE
therefore are not an
statement
of CASBO.
Introduction
• Ruth Alahydoian
Vice President
KNN Public Finance
Ralahydoian@knninc.com
• Beverly Heironimus
Assistant Superintendent, Business Services
Dublin Unified School District
HeironimusBeverly@dublin.k12.ca.us
2013 CASBO ANNUAL CONFERENCE & SCHOOL BUSINESS EXPO
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Why now?
• 2014 is an election year (yes, already!)
• Planning for a G.O. Bond is primarily the CBO’s
responsibility.
– Will also involve the Superintendent and the Facilities
Department.
• A successful bond measure requires laying the
groundwork and building support.
• The time to start planning is NOW!
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Big Picture – What’s involved?
• Pull the Team Together
• Determine facilities needs
• Get community input, sensitivities
• Determine bond projects, bond amount and tax rates
• Involve the community in the campaign
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The Schedule
Election Dates
June 3, 2014
November 4, 2014
Form Bond Team - Facilities, Survey, Political, Financial, Legal Experts
Spring 2013
Summer 2013
Identify needs/engage school sites in developing project list
Spring 2013
February - April 2014
Form a committee of community and school leaders to develop budget and
direction for campaign -- committee hires a campaign consultant (recommended)
Spring 2013
February - April 2014
Summer 2013
March 2014
Begin information campaign about conditions of schools
Fall 2013
April 2014
Solicit parent, teacher, administrator and public comments
Fall 2013
March - May 2014
Develop proposal for ballot measure - pull together project list and
authorization amount
Fall 2013
June 2014
Draft ballot measure and resolution
January 2014
June 2014
Public discussion of specific projects on project list
Jan-Feb. 2014
June 2014
District approves Resolution - MUST be approved 88 days before election day
March 7, 2014
August 8, 2014
March - June 2014
August - Nov 2014
June 3, 2014
November 4, 2014
Hire a survey consultant to conduct a survey on voter sentiments, if desired
Election campaign
ELECTION DAY
Note: Actual deadline will vary by county.
2013 CASBO ANNUAL CONFERENCE & SCHOOL BUSINESS EXPO
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What type of bond measure?
•
Proposition 39 Election:
– Requires 55% voter approval.
– Maximum anticipate tax rate is constrained.
– Must be held on a statewide primary, general or special election, or
on a regularly scheduled local election date.
• June 3, 2014
• November 4, 2014
•
2/3 Election:
– Requires 66.67% voter approval.
– No maximum tax rate restrictions.
– Can be held on any Tuesday that is not within 45 days of a
statewide election date.
•
Depending on whether other agencies have measures on the ballot, the
District may have to shoulder the cost of an election on its own.
2013 CASBO ANNUAL CONFERENCE & SCHOOL BUSINESS EXPO
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Pull the Team Together
• Facilities planners – needs assessment, etc.
• Facilities program manager
• Survey consultant / pollster
• Campaign /political consultant
• Financial advisor and/or underwriter
• Bond counsel
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Determine Facilities Needs
• Enrollment projections; new housing developments
• Site by site analysis for modernization
• Technology needs
• Charter school needs
• Program-specific needs
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Get Community Input
• Community survey
– Project specific feedback
– Sensitivity to bond amounts and tax rates
• Meet with school communities
– Staff
– Parents
• Board discussions & workshops
2013 CASBO ANNUAL CONFERENCE & SCHOOL BUSINESS EXPO
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Determine bond projects, bond amount
and tax rates
• Project list included in ballot is critical
– Limits how/what/where bond funds can be spent
– Creates expectations in the community
• Bond amount is the most that can be issued
– May be constrained by statutory debt limit
– Will be issued in series over time
• Projected tax rates are an estimate only
– Rates are given as $dollars per $100,000 of assessed value.
– Proposition 39 limits the rates to:
• $60 per $100,000 for unified school districts
• $30 per $100,000 for elementary and high school districts
• $25 per $100,000 for community colleges
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Bond Measure
• Board must approve the measure at least 88 days
before the election date.
• Bond measure must include:
– Bond amount
– Project list, including school sites and projects anticipated at
each site
– Expected tax rate
• Once Board approves resolution, campaign takes
over – District resources cannot be used for
advocacy.
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Involve the Community in the Campaign
• BRIGHT LINE YOU CANNOT CROSS: School
district resources cannot be spent on advocating for a
bond measure
• Information versus advocacy
• Personal time versus District time
• Fundraising
2013 CASBO ANNUAL CONFERENCE & SCHOOL BUSINESS EXPO
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Election Day
• Victory!
–
–
–
–
County certifies election results.
Board certifies county results.
Oversight committee is established within 60 days.
Bond issuance process begins.
• Close but not quite…
– Don’t be discouraged… it’s happened to the best of us.
– Review polling results and re-evaluate program – projects,
amount, etc. to determine what worked, what didn’t.
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