Monterey Peninsula and Pacific Grove Unified School Districts have two bond measures on the 2024 ballot. Both bonds need 55% approval to pass.

General obligation bonds are a common way for California school districts to fund improvement projects. The bonds are paid over time through taxes on properties within the district, including residential, industrial, commercial and agricultural.

Measure A

Monterey Peninsula Unified is proposing a $340 million bond which would raise property taxes by $50 per $100,000 of assessed value. Bond money would be allocated to upgrading and repairing STEM, arts and athletics facilities; creating staff housing; school security; and updating roofs, electrical, plumbing and ventilation systems.

Taxes will be based on assessed value, not market value. Assessed value is based on factors such as location, size and condition of the house. Measure A would cost the average homeowner around $240 a year.

“It’s an investment in our future, it’s an investment in our kids,” said Superintendent PK Diffenbaugh.

“For around $20 a month, we’ll be able to modernize all our campuses, we’ll be able to create 21st century learning environments … and be able to invest so that our teachers can live in the community in which they serve.”

According to Diffenabugh, about $40-60 million would be allocated to building 60-80 affordable housing units for staff.

Rent prices for these units would be adjusted so residents wouldn’t pay more than 30% of their monthly pay on rent.

The district’s push for staff housing attempts to curb the high staff turnover rate seen each year. According to Diffenbaugh, the district loses about 20% of its workforce each year.

“Providing low market rate rental housing will help our teachers afford to be able to make it on the Peninsula,” said Diffenbaugh.

“It won’t solve the problem … but it will make a huge difference to many of our educators to be able to have a stable place to live that they can afford, which is currently very hard on the Peninsula.”

In 2010 and 2018, the community passed Measure P and Measure I. Since then, all Measure P money has been spent and gone toward modernizing the 23-campus district.

Measure I projects are ongoing and all funding has been allocated.

“Measure A funds will allow us to continue to make progress across the district,” said Diffenbaugh.

“Measure P and Measure I made a huge dent and huge progress, but what individuals have to remember is that all of our campuses are over 60 years old. So there’s just a ton of deferred maintenance that needs to happen.”

Measure B

Pacific Grove Unified put up a $78 million bond on the November ballot — property taxes will not increase if passed.

The bond would go toward upgrading classrooms, repairing roofs, updating plumbing and upgrading campus security systems.

Funding would also be allocated toward expanding mental health services such as counseling, nursing and intervention services.

Access to modern technology will also be prioritized, including expanding facilities for science, technologies, engineering, arts and mathematics instruction and the career technical engineering program.

“It’s a big opportunity for us to grow our current programs,” said Superintendent Linda Adamson. If passed, Measure B is expected to extend but not increase the district’s current total tax rate of $68.97 until 2032, when taxes are expected to begin decreasing.

Last year the district had a threat and risk assessment completed on its schools by M.C. Kimball and Associates which recommended a series of action steps including facilities infrastructure improvements.

The district has already implemented the top three steps recommended, but needs funding to complete the rest, according to Adamson.

“For us to be able to do that … we will be reliant on the Measure B funding for that,” she said.

In 2020, voters passed Measure D, a $30 million facilities bond used to repair and modernize schools and classrooms in the district. About a third of the Measure D funding remains and is expected to be spent in the next two years according to Adamson.

Measure B would also fund sustainability measures such as energy efficient lighting, solar panels, generators and more. Another proposed project is replacing deteriorating electrical systems and wiring.

“All of our former bonds have been spent on deferred maintenance,” said Adamson.

“This is the first time we’re able to really look at growing our program offerings and … look at those innovative approaches to what we offer.”

Bond funds cannot be used for administrator/staff salaries, taken by the state or fund any other projects not outlined in the bond text. Measure A and B would also qualify for state-matching funds.

For more information on these measures, visit https://www.countyofmonterey.gov/government/departments-a-h/elections/11-05-2024-measures.