District encouraged by bond results

Danette Goulet

NEWPORT-MESA -- Voter support of school bonds in Santa Ana and San Juan

Capistrano this week have many Newport-Mesa district officials feeling

optimistic about a possible facilities bond for their schools.

“My interpretation is it clearly shows when it comes to schools in need

of repair, the communities get behind them,” said school board member

Martha Fluor.

The success of Santa Ana’s $145-million bond and Capistrano’s $65-million

bond demonstrate the public’s interestin making educational programs and

facilities a priority, said board member David Brooks.

“That should bode well for us, should we decide to go that way,” he said.

Although both successful bonds were dramatically different from that

which Newport-Mesa residents may face, the statewidetrend toward school

bonds is a positive one, said Michael Fine, assistant superintendent of

finance.

For instance, Capistrano is concerned with growth as opposed to repair.

The bond to watch is next week’s vote in Huntington Beach, where there is

a similar problem of disrepair and a diverse voting population.

“Generally speaking, regarding bonds it is a matter of particular

districts addressing the needs of their own community,” said Supt. Robert

Barbot.

Although the trend doesn’t hurt the cause, neither does it really help,

said Barbot, who is more concerned with making sure the district has all

its bases covered.

Before it is decided if Newport-Mesa will go to a bond vote, Barbot wants

to have four areas nailed down to reassure the public.

First, the master plan detailing standards for campuses and classrooms

needs to be defined, he said.

Next, the district needs to look at what options it has to finance the

repairs and then how the community feels about the proposed plan.

It then needs to be made clear to residents that the money will go where

it is intended, Barbot said.

Board members agree that the community’s comfort level in this area is

crucial.

“We have worked very hard to overcome any doubts,” Brooks said. “That is

why it was a citizen committee. The recommendations have not come from

the board -- that should go a long way to reassure.”

And if the community needs reassurance the facilities are in need of

repair and upgrade, all they need to do is look, said Linda Mook,

president of the Newport--Mesa Federation of Teachers, who feels the

passing of the multimillion-dollar bonds this week showed great promise.

At the same time, few felt the failure of Irvine’s $95-per-parcel tax

should discourage them.

“Irvine used a parcel tax, which is a different way of funding a bond,

and it was for programs so that was already two strikes against them,”

said Jill Money, president of the Harbor Council PTA.

Although undecided on the whole, board member Wendy Leece agreed that the

Irvine defeat may be the result of an “anti-tax sentiment.”

As the board awaits the facility committee’s recommendationand the

probability of a bond strengthens, officials return their attention to

the initial bond study survey.

“I can tell you the original survey reaction was very positive in terms

of fixing the meat and potatoes -- which is what we’re talking about. We

also found out what they would not support,” Fine said. “Ultimately, if

we are faced with a bond, I think they can be pleased with the plan we’ll

put together.”