What's at stake?
After heavy criticism from Bullard-area and taxpayer groups, the controversial $500 million bond is getting a boost of support. If it doesn’t pass, Fresno Unified facilities will continue to age and not meet requirements.
After a week of attacks from Bullard-area leaders, Fresno Unified’s controversial $500 million bond, Measure H – is getting a boost from business and civic leaders.
Fresno Unified School District trustees Veva Islas and Andy Levine held a press conference at Norseman Elementary Tuesday, where the Fresno Chamber of Commerce and League of Women announced their support for Measure H.
“We need to focus on student outcomes and great facilities for the kids, but even more than that, it’s a quality of life issue for our city,” said Scott Miller, CEO for the Greater Fresno Chamber of Commerce.
Kay Bertken, co-president for the League of Women Voters of Fresno, also said the league supports the measure.
“Many of the schools in Fresno Unified need constant maintenance, repair and updating to meet the needs of the 21st century students who are there right now,” said Bertken.
Islas, who represents the McLane High area, and Levine, who represents the Fresno High area, have some of the highest-need facilities in the district.
The allocation of Measure H funds is dictated largely by the district’s use of an equity tool that ranks schools in the district into five categories of infrastructural condition. A lower rank for a school means that it does not meet educational standards and requires higher renovations and updates.
For Levine’s Area 5, Measure H funds are planned to be used across school facilities, ranging from upgrades to Fresno High’s aquatic center to major renovations to Fort Miller Middle School’s entire campus.
For Islas’ Area 4, Norseman and Birney Elementary both ranked in the top 10 highest-need schools in the district. Other schools in the area are also in need of renovations for ADA support, namely Hidalgo, where Islas said some portable classrooms are sinking and causing difficulties with classrooms doors opening and closing.
If Measure H is approved by voters, it’ll give the district $500 million to address its infrastructure needs, a fraction of its total $2.5 billion it needs in total.
The measure’s spending plans are currently backed by the Fresno Teachers Association. According to Islas, Manuel Bonilla and Louis Jameson, president and executive director of the FTA respectively, were invited to the press conference, but were unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts. As of the writing of this story, Bonilla could not immediately be reached.
FUSD Board President Susan Wittrup, who represents the Bullard High area, is currently not supporting the measure’s spending plan. Both Islas and Levine said they respect Wittrup’s decision.
In the week following the final approval of the board’s spending plan for the bond, opposition has mounted – from former Fresno Unified trustee Brooke Ashjian, Granville Homes CEO Darius Assemi, Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias, and conservative groups like the Lincoln Club of Fresno County and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers’ Association.
They’re concerned over what they say is a lack of financial oversight at Fresno Unified.
Islas isn’t daunted.
“Families in this region do not have the political influence or wealth, what they do have are dreams of providing their children with better opportunities than they had,” stressed Islas, in her support for the bond.
