A massive, $1 billion school bond initially slated for the March 2024 ballot has now been tentatively bumped to November. If and when it formally makes the ballot, it will be voters’ first look at a school bond since 2016. And, though that bond coasted to victory with almost 80 percent of the vote, much has changed in the ensuing years. This crucial bond would come at a time when the San Francisco Unified School District is more unsettled — and support of this bond is more uncertain.
In order to receive the necessary 55 percent of the vote, the bond would need a political unity campaign and heavy support from labor. Right now, it has neither.
District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton says that, without more assurances that the district won’t shutter schools in his district, he will not back it.
“A lot of things that are in the air that have not been cleared,” Walton said.
Rudy Gonzalez, the secretary-treasurer of San Francisco Building Trades, said he, too, is skeptical, calling the district’s billion-dollar proposal vague.
“I’m unaware that the school district has even taken the necessary steps to place it on the ballot,” said Gonzalez.
The school bond, which would allow the district to borrow between $950 million and $1.2 billion, would be used to update facilities, feed students, enhance school security, and improve technology, among other expenses, according to the district.
The district had planned to seek the school board’s approval earlier this month, and place the bond before voters in March. But the district issued an update last week, and said the bond will instead be placed on the Nov. 5, 2024, ballot, stating that the district needs additional time for community engagement and to further refine the bond project planning.
It remains unknown when the school board will discuss and finalize the matter. Regardless of the process that led to the delay, things may now work out more favorably for the district.
“Almost always in San Francisco, polling shows that a November electorate is more favorable to a bond measure or tax increase than a lower-turnout primary electorate,” said Eric Jaye, a veteran political strategist.
Jaye noted that the main advantage is that more progressive young voters, who are more likely to be renters, would come out in November in support of a school bond funded via property taxes.
Additionally, Jaye thinks that the district, indeed, needs more time to get community input, given the cascade of political opposition: They need to “get their politics in order before they ask people to give a billion dollars.”
“They’re in a political battle with their constituents at the same time they need their constituents to support a massive bond measure.”
“The political environment is toxic for them right now,” Jaye continued. “To pass a major bond measure, you need to unify the city and they are, through their actions, dividing it. They’re going in the wrong direction, politically.”
Indeed, the school district has much on its plate right now: Last month, a teacher strike was averted after an all-night bargaining session; the fiasco affecting the district’s multi-million dollar payroll system is still interfering with teacher pay; and Gonzalez’s union-labor brethren are still in negotiations and have authorized a strike vote, leading to the potential of sympathy strikes by other workers.
Supervisor Joel Engardio introduced a ballot measure in September to let eighth-grade students in San Francisco take algebra at school, the latest front in a long-brewing war over when advanced math topics should be introduced to students. And school facilities are in dire need of improvements, as shown in a school district map.
“The question is: Is the leadership of the district able to focus on this while there are more urgent issues?” Gonzalez asked.
The district has historically been successful in approving bonds: Nearly 80 percent of San Francisco voters greenlit the $744 million 2016 bond; a 2011 bond that authorized a $531 million debt saw a 71 percent approval and, in 2006, a $450 million bond passed with about 73 percent of the vote.
The 2016 bond, the district’s most recent, was used for creating a new campus for Mission Bay School, and new buildings for Hillcrest Elementary School and Tule Elk Park Early Education School, as well as modernizing 14 school campuses, providing more nutritious meals for students, and improving outdoor learning spaces.
Even with multiple ongoing fires, veteran political consultant Jim Ross said that only one actor truly matters: Labor. As long as unions at the district support the bond and no well-heeled opposition emerges, the bond is likely to pass.
“San Franciscans universally support increases for funding for education,” Ross concluded. “One of the paths to pass these measures is to get unity to support it.”
Whether unity and staunch labor backing can be achieved, however, remains the billion-dollar question.
“Jaye noted that the main advantage is that more progressive young voters, who are more likely to be renters, would come out in November in support of a school bond funded via property taxes. ”
It was my understanding that some or all of an increase in property tax due to a bond measure can be passed onto tenants as a valid additional rent increase under the rent ordinance.
Otherwise it would be dishonest to have 2/3 of the electorate vote on an issue that they would not be paying for.
It is sad to say, but there are many accountability issues remaining to be solved with SF-USD, particularly with the payroll and facilities maintenance fiascoes. First and foremost, if SFUSD would please reduce their underperforming/failing administrative staff and replace those headcounts with actual teachers, secondly allow equal teacher representation on the Board of Education (elected via all FTE teachers or the teacher’s union directly, perhaps), should voters consider throwing more good money after bad. The administration needs to shape up, because our teachers and students deserve better.
How exactly are the administrative staff failing? Are you aware that a huge number of teachers in the district are assigned to central office, not a school site?
The fact remains that especially at the elementary level, there are far too many teachers per student in the aggregate. The math simply will not work out, no matter how much Supervisor Walton blusters, until they consolidate or close schools.
First there was the effort to paint over artistically and historically significant murals at Washington High.
Then there was neglect of kids stuck with remote learning due to the obsession with school names because their committee decided people like Abraham Lincoln (seriously, Abraham Lincoln) weren’t sufficiently anti-slavery.
Then getting into Lowell became a lotto prize instead of a reward for hard work and excellence.
And now, no algebra.
I see no reason to give a billion dollars to an educational system that is so dedicated to anti-intellectualism as the remedy for racial inequity.
Tax receipts are way down and deficits are growing. The money is running out. I hate to say it but things are about to get very bad for the city budget and all city funded agencies. Very difficult decisions will need to be made.
The big picture of the forest including the trees:
Budget: $14.6 Billion
Population (2022 – U.S. Census): 808,437
“The money is running out.”
Seriously …
I posit the theory that San Francisco as a municipal entity (city and county), based on the ratio of budget vs. population, is the wealthiest such entity in the history of humankind.
And still would be if the budget was cut by a billion or two.
Carlos,
We don’t get any bang for our buck.
We need a Mayor who isn’t just another member of the Royal ‘Brown/Burton Machine’ organization or, as they call themselves … ‘City Family’.
We need an elected Police Chief and a Homeless Intake process that begins on half of the City’s Harding Golf Course which is now controlled by the Saudi Prince who collects his enermies body parts (he bought the PGA which has Harding locked up) .
A Million Dollar SF Trash Lottery trading tickets one for an hour’s work.
That cleared the streets and we have a hundred acres of TI and 112 schools to house our Homeless.
Like you say, the money’s there.
And, as I say, so are the parts to fix all of our problems.
How about a Pollution Free Venturi Tidal Power Plant wrapped around one leg of the Golden Gate Bridge and Gonzo did the Committee study 20 years ago which brings me to my point:
20 year Reunion of Gonzalez Tribe from 2003 Election
111 Minna
8pm til next day
December 9th
Consolidation of schools should not be off the table.
If there is a need for $1 Billion, then detail exactly how it is to be distributed via projects.
If the schools are focused on Academics, Science, Math, Intuitive Thinking then there should be general support, just avoid Woke Insane Agendas.
This is basically an argument for disengaging the childless supermajority from endless nasty SFUSD melodrama and restricting SFUSD governance and funding to only those with skin in the game.
The conduct of most all involved with SFUSD politics practically disqualifies them from playing any role in a healthy educational system.
Is that to pay the horrific company they hired for more payroll errors?
Carlos,
We don’t get any bang for our buck.
We need a Mayor who isn’t just another member of the Royal ‘Brown/Burton Machine’ organization or, as they call themselves … ‘City Family’.
We need an elected Police Chief and a Homeless Intake process that begins on half of the City’s Harding Golf Course which is now controlled by the Saudi Prince who collects his enermies body parts (he bought the PGA which has Harding locked up) .
A Million Dollar SF Trash Lottery trading tickets one for an hour’s work.
That cleared the streets and we have a hundred acres of TI and 112 schools to house our Homeless.
Like you say, the money’s there.
And, as I say, so are the parts to fix all of our problems.
How about a Pollution Free Venturi Tidal Power Plant wrapped around one leg of the Golden Gate Bridge and Gonzo did the Committee study 20 years ago which brings me to my point:
20 year Reunion of Gonzalez Tribe from 2003 Election
111 Minna
8pm til next day
December 9th
People (voters) will feel the pinch next year. PG&E rate hikes, SDI increases will have a noticeable effect that will moderate everybody’s appetite for throwing more money into the hopper, be it March or November.
No way. SFUSD has wasted money, is top Admin heavy and punishes hard working students by using ‘restorative justice’ to keep troublemakers in the classroom out all costs.
“I see no reason to give a billion dollars to an educational system that is so dedicated to anti-intellectualism as the remedy for racial inequity.” Those are my sentiments exactly.