I've never missed an election since I was old enough to vote and attending Skyline High School. And in all those years, I can only recall once -- I think 1998, but I'm not sure -- when Oakland voters rejected a bond issue. This time was not one of them.
Bond victory thrills Oakland schools
Administrators are eager to fix infrastructure, but proposition's opponents fear lack of oversight
By Grace Rauh, STAFF WRITER - Oakland Tribune
OAKLAND — Caroline Yee can hardly contain her excitement about Measure B, the $435 million Oakland school district bond that snagged 77 percent of unofficial votes in Tuesday's election, far more than the 55 percent required to approve it.
The principal of Lincoln Elementary School in Oakland's Chinatown is thrilled, elated and delighted, she said, letting the adjectives trip over each other Wednesday.
"No kid deserves to be in a portable (classroom) with broken window shades, poor ventilation, crowded over," she said, referring to the packed classrooms on her campus. "There aren't enough room for the bodies."
Lincoln is one of the first schools in line to access the bond money, earmarked to replace dilapidated classrooms, renovate restrooms and fund other improvements at schools attended by Oakland's 42,000 students.
Measure B taxes property owners an estimated $38 to $48 for every $100,000of assessed property value and is the largest Oakland schools bond ever approved by voters. Oakland voters passed the $303 million Measure A school bond in 2000 and the $169 million Measure C bond in 1994.
Property owners here already pay $195 per year to fund smaller classes and music, art and library programs.
Yee is hopeful the new bond will pay for an extra room at Lincoln for student events and assemblies, and replace the school's crumbling classrooms with newer buildings. Each year her student body grows, and she struggles to fit the children into the limited space on campus.
"We have 11 portables that predate, I don't know what, I think the'50s or around the'40s," she said. "I feel we've been neglected."
Her sentiments were shared by others Wednesday who are pleased long-overdue renovations may now receive the attention they deserve thanks to the funding influx. But proposition opponents, who argued voters should not approve a new tax when the Oakland school board has no governing power, continue to worry there will be no spending oversight.
In 2003, the state began running the Oakland schools, appointing Randolph Ward to head the debt-ridden district. The school board was stripped of its authority and now acts as an advisory body.
"The concerns are there are absolutely no controls on how Randy Ward spends the money," said Bob Mandel, an Oakland teacher and member of the teachers union executive board, who did not support the union's endorsement of the bond measure. "There are no controls on priorities. He sets them."
Oakland voters also elected a new school board member Tuesday. Oakland middle school teacher Chris Dobbins garnered 52.2 percent of unofficial votes for the District 6 seat encompassing the East Oakland hills to the shore, beating out parent activist Wandra Boyd for the post vacated by member Dan Siegel, who is stepping down after eight years.
School board President David Kakishiba and board member Gary Yee ran unopposed for re-election.
Tim White, Oakland school district's facilities director, said he thinks the bond money will begin reaching the district in September or October. The district will spend it on projects already listed on its master plan, which includes nearly $1 billion in facilities needs, he said.
"Obviously, everything is subject to some change and adjustment, but it's definitely all restricted to what's in that master plan," he said.
"The big picture is that it allows us to continue the process of improving our schools."
Bond victory thrills Oakland schools
Administrators are eager to fix infrastructure, but proposition's opponents fear lack of oversight
By Grace Rauh, STAFF WRITER - Oakland Tribune
OAKLAND — Caroline Yee can hardly contain her excitement about Measure B, the $435 million Oakland school district bond that snagged 77 percent of unofficial votes in Tuesday's election, far more than the 55 percent required to approve it.
The principal of Lincoln Elementary School in Oakland's Chinatown is thrilled, elated and delighted, she said, letting the adjectives trip over each other Wednesday.
"No kid deserves to be in a portable (classroom) with broken window shades, poor ventilation, crowded over," she said, referring to the packed classrooms on her campus. "There aren't enough room for the bodies."
Lincoln is one of the first schools in line to access the bond money, earmarked to replace dilapidated classrooms, renovate restrooms and fund other improvements at schools attended by Oakland's 42,000 students.
Measure B taxes property owners an estimated $38 to $48 for every $100,000of assessed property value and is the largest Oakland schools bond ever approved by voters. Oakland voters passed the $303 million Measure A school bond in 2000 and the $169 million Measure C bond in 1994.
Property owners here already pay $195 per year to fund smaller classes and music, art and library programs.
Yee is hopeful the new bond will pay for an extra room at Lincoln for student events and assemblies, and replace the school's crumbling classrooms with newer buildings. Each year her student body grows, and she struggles to fit the children into the limited space on campus.
"We have 11 portables that predate, I don't know what, I think the'50s or around the'40s," she said. "I feel we've been neglected."
Her sentiments were shared by others Wednesday who are pleased long-overdue renovations may now receive the attention they deserve thanks to the funding influx. But proposition opponents, who argued voters should not approve a new tax when the Oakland school board has no governing power, continue to worry there will be no spending oversight.
In 2003, the state began running the Oakland schools, appointing Randolph Ward to head the debt-ridden district. The school board was stripped of its authority and now acts as an advisory body.
"The concerns are there are absolutely no controls on how Randy Ward spends the money," said Bob Mandel, an Oakland teacher and member of the teachers union executive board, who did not support the union's endorsement of the bond measure. "There are no controls on priorities. He sets them."
Oakland voters also elected a new school board member Tuesday. Oakland middle school teacher Chris Dobbins garnered 52.2 percent of unofficial votes for the District 6 seat encompassing the East Oakland hills to the shore, beating out parent activist Wandra Boyd for the post vacated by member Dan Siegel, who is stepping down after eight years.
School board President David Kakishiba and board member Gary Yee ran unopposed for re-election.
Tim White, Oakland school district's facilities director, said he thinks the bond money will begin reaching the district in September or October. The district will spend it on projects already listed on its master plan, which includes nearly $1 billion in facilities needs, he said.
"Obviously, everything is subject to some change and adjustment, but it's definitely all restricted to what's in that master plan," he said.
"The big picture is that it allows us to continue the process of improving our schools."
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