By: Matt Watson, President, Saugus Union School District Board of Trustees 

As the many signs around town can attest to, election season is in full swing.  This November, voters will once again go to the ballot box in a pivotal election.  Along with highly important positions from President to District Attorney to local school board, California will cast their votes on important ballot initiatives as well.  Among those, Proposition 2 would authorize funding for public school and community college facilities, a much-needed measure that would help ensure that students statewide continue to have access to the high-quality learning facilities that they need, Proposition 2.

Funding for schools provided through the state’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) only provides for day-to-day school operations. In order to meet the large facilities needs that our school buildings have, bond monies must be used.  Most often, those monies come from local sources without much help from the state.  Proposition 2, however, is a statewide bond measure aimed at providing billions to be disbursed among the school districts in greatest need.  These funds will focus on many smaller districts, such as those in the Santa Clarita area, as reimbursements for funds spent by local bonds.

Proposition 2 would allocate funds to reduce lead in school drinking water, an urgent issue in many older facilities, and support other necessary infrastructure improvements that contribute to a safer school environment.  The measure includes built-in accountability pieces, such as public hearings and performance audits, to ensure that taxpayer funds are used responsibly and as intended.

In Santa Clarita, our local school districts are among the lowest funded in the state, and it’s about time that the state provides a fair share to our kids too.  Every district in the Santa Clarita Valley is in the bottom quartile in terms of per pupil state funding, with the Saugus, Newhall, and Hart Districts in the bottom 15%.  With aging buildings, rising costs, and strict codes, our students need your support. Vote yes on Proposition 2.

Matt Watson

President, Saugus Union School District Board of Trustees 

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