Support Lindsay School's bond Measure L

On Nov. 6, residents in the Lindsay Unified School District will be asked to approve a $16 million bond measure that will allow the district to make improvements at school sites.
District officials say the $16 million would help with classroom upgrades and the construction of new classrooms. If the district is successful in getting voter approval, it would be eligible for up to $5.3 million in state grants, giving it more than $21 million to spend on school upgrades.

Measure L will also allow the district to retrofit many of the schools with energy efficient improvements that will equal cost savings long-term.

Officials said the bond measure, if passed, will mean on average an additional $49 a year per $100,000 of assessed value added to property tax bill of property owners.

What is concerning is property owners in the district are already paying a pretty hefty property tax bill because of past Lindsay school tax measures. The district got approval of a $7.2 million bond measure in 2002 and then another $20.7 million bond measure in 2008. Residents are still paying those off.

With Measure L, residents will be paying approximately $164 per $100,000 of assessed value — a lot for a poor community where more than 15 percent of the people seeking work in that city cannot find work.

Residents of Lindsay will have to decide how much they are willing to tax themselves for their local schools. The bond measures approved in the past have allowed the district to make significant improvements, including the new Lindsay High School and Roosevelt Elementary School.

The question is, however, when will voters decide enough is enough. Prior to the passage of the 2002 bond measure, two earlier attempts had failed.

While we are supportive of improvements to schools, we are also concerned that Lindsay is reaching the limit of what residents can pay.

We urge a yes vote, but hope this will be the last bond measure in that district for a while.