The Rev Dr. Rick SchlosserIMPACT’s Recommendation: SUPPORT
AB 247 (Chapter 81, Statutes of 2024) Muratsuchi. Education finance: school facilities: Kindergarten Through Grade 12 Schools and Local Community College Public Education Facilities Modernization, Repair, and Safety Bond Act of 2024.
This is a $10 billion bond act to finance repairs and upgrades to California schools. K-12 schools would receive $8.5 billion while community colleges would receive $1.5 billion. Public universities were excluded since they have their own access to such funding. The money replaces parts of the General Fund that will not have to be spent in this lean budget year. The last voter approved financing was 2020, and that fund is nearly depleted. We know educational success has much to do with safe, quality facilities, and while funds have been spent, lower income areas still have too many substandard structures. There is a sliding distribution scale that is a good start to prioritizing highest need schools in poor areas.
CA Secretary of State site: Arguments for and against Prop 2: https://voterguide.sos.ca.gov/propositions/2/index.htm