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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08- City Administrator's Office CI FY OF SAN BERNARDINO - REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION From: Fred Wilson, City Subject: Resolution in support of Administrator Proposition 26 — the "Let's Fix our Schools" Initiative. Dept: City Administrator's Office Date: January 26, 2000 Synopsis of Previous Council Action: None Recommended motion: Adopt Resolution. kl" ignature Contact person: Fred Wilson Phone: 5122 Supporting data attached: Staff Report Ward: FUNDING REQUIREMENTS: Amount: None Source: (Acct. No.) (Acct. Description) Finance: Council Notes: Agenda Item No. 0 ah/AD00 CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO - REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION STAFF REPORT Subject: Resolution of the Mayor and Common Council of the City of San Bernardino in support of Proposition 26 - the Let's Fix our Schools Initiative. Background: The League of California Cities Board of Directors voted overwhelmingly in November, 1999 to endorse Proposition 26, due to their belief that good schools are an essential element in building strong, thriving cities. Subsequently, the League of California Cities has requested the support of the City of San Bernardino for Proposition 26. Proposition 26 will appear on the March 2000 ballot. It would reduce the number of votes needed to pass local school bonds from the current two-thirds to a simple majority, helping to generate funds to repair and update aging schools and build badly needed new ones. Just as importantly, it includes rigorous accountability measures to ensure that voters get what they pay for. Proposition 26 requires school districts to undergo two independent audits every year to monitor expenditures from local bonds. One independent audit will scrutinize the finances of each project, ensuring that every penny is spent on school facilities and not on operating expenses. A second performance audit must also be conducted annually to make sure every voter-approved project is done on time and on budget. The San Bernardino City School District Board of Education adopted a resolution in support of Proposition 26 on November 9, 1999. Fiscal impact: None. Recommendation: Adopt resolution. ' COPY 1 RESOLUTION NO. 2 OF SAN BERNARDINO IN SUPPORT AND OF PROPOSITION 3 ON 26 - THE LET'S FIX OUR SCHOOLS INITIATIVE. 4 Whereas,more than two million California students attend class in temporary facilities, 5 and the state must build six new classrooms every day if it is going to accommodate the quickly 6 growing student population; and 7 Whereas,without significant new construction and modernization, existing schools will not be ready to handle the several hundred thousand additional students over the next decade; 8 and 9 Whereas,the LETS FIX OUR SCHOOLS Initiative would amend the California 10 Constitution and Education Code to allow passage of critically-needed local school bonds with a simple majority of 50 percent plus one,rather than the current two-thirds vote required, while 11 holding local school districts strictly accountable for prudent and responsible spending; and 12 Whereas, at a time when California families want safer schools,more class size reduction, and better access to 21n century learning tools such as computers and the Internet, 13 we need to ensure that local school districts have the funds to create classroom environments © 14 that help students learn; and 15 Whereas, last year voters passed Proposition IA, a$9.2 billion statewide bond to 16 provide state matching funds for local school facilities construction and improvements; and 17 Whereas, school districts can only receive Proposition IA state bond funds if they can generate matching funds through local bonds; and 18 Whereas, most California voters believe bonds are the best way to build and repair 19 classrooms and reduce overcrowding in California's schools; and 20 Whereas, local school bonds require a two-thirds vote to pass, forcing many districts to 21 run numerous grueling campaigns. 22 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO SUPPORT THE PASSAGE OF THE LET'S 23 FIX OUR SCHOOLS INITIATIVE ON THE MARCH,2000 STATEWIDE BALLOT 24 BECAUSE IT IS A NECESSARY AND FAIR INITIATIVE. 25 26 C 27 28 0 , 61. 8 z/7/o� 1 RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO IN SUPPORT OF PROPOSITION 26 - THE LET'S FIX OUR 2 SCHOOLS INITIATIVE. 3 4 I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by the Mayor 5 and Common Council of the City of San Bernardino at a meeting thereof, held on the 6 _day of 2000, by the following vote, to wit: 7 Council Members: AYES NAYS ABSTAIN ABSENT 8 ESTRADA 9 10 LIEN 11 SCHNETZ 12 SUAREZ 13 ANDERSON _ 14 MILLER 15 16 17 City Clerk 18 The foregoing resolution is hereby approved this day of 2000 19 20 21 Judith Valles, Mayor 22 Approved as to City of San Bernardino 23 Form and legal content: 24 JAMES F. PENMAN, City omey By: 26 27 28 Leaque of California Cities VA4M 1400 �A�)A �acramcnio_C - ��- 916.658.8200 51uer Cties—:1 Bauer Life FAX 916.658,S2iC wux.caciues.orc January 12, 2000 Dear City Official: RE: Support for Proposition 26,"Let's Fix Our Schools" As some of you may have read in our previous communications,at its November 1999 meeting,the Board of Directors of the League of California Cities voted overwhelmingly to endorse Proposition 26. This initiative has won our board's support because we believe that good schools are an essential element in building strong,thriving cities. Our purpose in writing today is to advise you of the League's position on Proposition 26,and to urge you and your city council to join us in speaking out in support of this important initiative. Background. Proposition 26 will appear on the March 2000 ballot. It would reduce the number of votes needed to pass local school bonds from the current two-thirds to a simple majority, helping to generate funds to repair and update aging schools and build badly needed new ones. Just as importantly, it includes rigorous accountability measures to ensure that voters get what they pay for. Proposition 26 requires school districts to undergo two independent audits every year to monitor expenditures from local bonds. One independent audit will scrutinize the finances of each project—making sure that every penny is spent on school facilities and not on operating expenses. A second performance audit must also be conducted annually to make sure every voter-approved project is done on time and on budget. This initiative has broad-based support. Business leaders who see our decrepit schools as an impediment to economic growth are active leaders in the campaign. Your Support is Needed. Polls show strong voter support for Proposition 26--but there is still a long way to go until the March election. Support from influential local leaders is critical to the success of this initiative. As representatives of cities, our board believes we have a special need and responsibility to work in support of this measure. The data is clear: our efforts to preserve and enhance the quality of life in cities are undermined when public schools are neglected and decaying. Our work for strong cities must include support for repair and updating of our schools. We would appreciate your sponsorship of a resolution in support of Proposition 26 before your city council. Please fax the enclosed resolution to(916) 554-1052 as soon as possible. You can find updated campaign and initiative information at the Prop 26 website: www.ietsfixourschools.com Proposition 26 gives our children—and our cities—the schools they need and deserve. We look forward to your support. Sincerely, John Ferraro Christopher McKenzie © President, League of California Cities Executive Director