Comments on: Which school district would Measure C support?

By: Doctor J

Doctor J — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 22:59:37 +0000

MDUSD Board brought us raises for the Gang of Five while laying off teachers and NOW bring us Diablogate coverup of the truth about Measure C. All we want is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

By: Trapped in MDUSD

Trapped in MDUSD — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 17:04:30 +0000

The Measure C campaign has been characterized by casual disregard for details, if not downright deception, from the very beginning. We know that our local schools do not have a sustainable source of adequate funding. But this Measure C is a sad and irresponsible way to correct that problem. From my conversations with other MDUSD parents like myself, it is clear that most are not aware of the following: 1) how unusually long the term of this bond is, and how the delayed pay-down of principal drastically inflates the interest cost to become a multiple of actual upfront proceeds; 2) what the bond will actually fund and how that ever-changing list appears to disregard all of the years of feedback from local site councils; 3) that the useful lives of the items funded by the bond will fall woefully short of the term of this bond, requiring current parents, current students, and even THEIR children to pay for these “improvements” for many years after they have been discarded, in violation of every rule of prudent capital financing; 4) why, even though we could not get a parcel tax approved with “only” 60% of the vote (a campaign that received almost no support or coordination from the district leadership) we are somehow able to generate continuous glossy mailings and lobbying for this bond fiasco. (Who, besides the construction unions and the Wall St. bond underwriters, is so eager for this thing to pass that they will donate that kind of money?)

Here is what inquiring minds would like to know: How many school districts in the US try to issue bonds with a 40+ year life and 20+ years of deferred principal repayments? What interest rates do investors expect for such unusual instruments (particularly in financially-stressed states like CA)? If those rates are higher than expected, how does MDUSD keep the payments under the existing bond service caps? By reducing the principal borrowed and the funds available for our students? Has anyone even thought about this scenario? As the district continues to lose students (businesses would call it declining market share), how small will MDUSD be in 30 or 40 years? With school choice finally coming to this part of CC County in the form of charter schools (which MDUSD has consistently opposed), how will taxpayers feel about living in a district that wants them to pay for “improvements” that were obsolete decades before?

By: Doctor J

Doctor J — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 14:24:12 +0000

I wonder if taxpayer dollars are paying for the Supt at the Disneyland Hotel tonight for him to receive the two Distinguished School awards from Jack O’Connell while he has SIX habitually underperforming schools and maybe SEVEN more for next year ? How many nights ? Do taxpayer dollars pay for his spouse too ? Last weekend of the Measure C Campaign and he is at Disneyland. Reminds me of Nero fiddling while Rome burned.

By: Don Huggins

Don Huggins — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 06:18:02 +0000

Today I received still another full-color “Yes on C” mailer (the fifth), this one 4 pages and titled “ONE THING Sacramento can’t take away…”. On the back the list of supporters is headed by “WE SUPPORT WALNUT CREEK SCHOOLS”. Once again, no mention of the Mt Diablo Unified School District. I’m not commenting on the merits of the measure; I’m just questioning the process in Walnut Creek. In fact, by not mentioning MDUSD they are passing up a strong argument in favor of the measure, and that is that improving the MDUSD reputation would increase property values in the district.

By: Don Huggins

Don Huggins — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 21:18:37 +0000

I hope my tax dollars aren’t going to fund the teaching of ‘behavioral change management’ if it teaches deception by withholding critical information.
The flyers could have said that Measure C is for the entire Mt Diablo School District and THEN proceed to focus on the benefits to the particular local schools.
Should we conclude that Walnut Creek does not want to be associated with the rest of the MDUSD?

By: Doctor J

Doctor J — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 20:21:22 +0000

How convenient to vote on school closures after the November election. School consolidation for year 10/11 could save the district millions immediately. Its pretty clear the Board doesn’t want to be locked into specific projects for the Bond and the Bond project list is clearly erroneous as some of the listed projects have already been completed. Is the Board going to take some of the bond money and reimburse the district general fund for projects already completed ? Ingeniously deceptive, if so.

By: Doctor J

Doctor J — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 20:16:20 +0000

It will be a headline story if MDUSD doesn’t produce the complete records tomorrow. Just what the voters want to hear — MDUSD concealing records.

By: tharrington

tharrington — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 20:06:08 +0000

I do not know when the CCT editorial board will take a position on Measure C. The board makes its decision independently.
No, the district hasn’t produced the records yet. I believe the 10 days are up tomorrow.
Regarding board approval of the project list, the board did approve a detailed 2002 project list, which was included in the ballot materials. This time around, Pete Pedersen said it will be up to the board to decide on priorities based on the 2010 Measure C projects list he has compiled.
Regarding closed schools, Superintendent Steven Lawrence told me the district could install solar facilities on closed campuses.

By: Sherry Whitmarsh

Sherry Whitmarsh — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 19:05:39 +0000

A proposal for funds that were to be used at schools to be closed has not yet been provided since I don’t know which schools will be closed.

My preference would be that once the board votes on the community recommended school closures which is currently scheduled for November, that the funds that would not be used would be allocated to the other schools.

By: Doctor J

Doctor J — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 16:02:08 +0000

When will CC Times editorial board take its position on Measure C ? Has MDUSD produced the records yet ? Aren’t they due ?