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Poll Prods District to Delay Bond: ANTIOCH: School Board's Telephone Survey Reveals Lack of Interest Despite Ailing Structures

Posted on: Wednesday, 17 May 2006, 09:05 CDT

By Andrew Becker, Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif.

May 17--Old Antioch schools must wait at least two more years before district officials again ask residents to support a tax to fund school improvements.

A recent telephone survey of 400 residents who are not already in a special school tax district shows that voters would not pass a bond measure in November that would provide the school district with enough money to make significant updates. The results prompted district officials to postpone a bond measure until either June or November 2008. That would be the third time in about six years the district would consider a school bond.

"We thought it would be time well spent to do some more research before we attempt it again," school board President Bart Sandborn said.

Overall, the respondents overwhelmingly supported improving campus security, replacing heating and air conditioning units and old roofs, renovating libraries and upgrading classroom computers and technology. But if it means raising property taxes to pay for such modernizations, respondents were less likely to approve. At first blush, 53 percent rejected the bond proposal, according to survey results.

"Voters said now is not the time," said Brad Senden, managing partner of the Center for Community Opinion, which conducted the survey. "The results basically say that the support is not there, or is only there for a small bond."

Joy Motts, president of the Antioch High School Parent Teacher Student Association, said she was frustrated at the delay and at the disparity between newer and older Antioch schools.

"I'm so disappointed because the reality for my child and other people's is right now," she said. "I feel like (old Antioch) schools have been let go. ... There are only so many murals you can paint on school walls to make it look better."

The district put off a similar bond measure in 2002 after a wider survey also indicated that residents would not tolerate the taxes needed to pay off the bond. At that time, more than 55 percent of the area's residents -- the amount needed to pass the measure -- targeted in the latest survey said they would pay more than they would now. Board members, however, rejected a resolution to put the bond measure on the ballot. Around that time the district also stumbled across a financial dry patch, which resulted in severe cuts.

In 2002, about 60 percent of respondents said they would pay $58 per $100,000 of assessed property value. The latest survey, conducted between April 25 and 30, showed approximately 60 percent would support a tax of $28 per $100,000 of assessed value. Such a tax would raise about $40 million to $45 million over 25 years, instead of the desired $80 million.

Superintendent Dennis Goettsch and Antioch school board members decided against a smaller bond, saying it was not enough. Educating residents of the district's needs and ensuring them that there will be oversight on how the money would be spent is critical, Goettsch said.

Goettsch added that he is concerned about "the lack of parity between newer and older schools." Some renovations, however, could be made this summer with modernization dollars coming from the state.

"I'd rather do something that would have significant impact and not try to go back again and again to the voters," said Goettsch, who will retire at the end of July. "We have some work to do. ... From the public perception, people really want to know our financial house is in order."

Andrew Becker covers East Contra Costa education. He can be reached at 925-779-7116 or abecker@cctimes.com.

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Copyright (c) 2006, Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.)

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