Jefferson Elementary School District

Measure J - 55% Approval Required

The Jefferson Elementary School District is committed to enhancing the safety of our schools and further strenghtening the classroom experience for students especially in the midst of the COVID pandemic. 

With the support of the community, we have been able to successfully make improvements to our elementary schools that improved the district's ability to provide students with 21st century learning opportunities and safer environments. Although we've made gains, there still remains much for us to do collectively to ensure that our youngest students continue to have the necessary support and resources to be successful in the future.

By voting YES on Measure J, the Jefferson Elementary School District will have the opportunity to continue making needed investments to improve student safety, enhance and improve learning environments as well as provide our elementary school district with the opportunity to attract quality teachers to facilities equipped with strong COVID mitigation measures. 

Vote YES on Measure J to:

* Increase student and staff safety

* Attract and retain highly qualified staff

* Provide high-quality, safe, and healthy indoor and outdoor learning environments for current and future students

Measure J has strict and clear accountability requirements so that local funds can only be used for our local students.  Measure J requires:

* All funds raised will be controlled locally to support our elementary and middle schools and cannot be taken away by the State

* Inpendendent citzen oversight and annual audits required

* All funds spent for our local students, none for administrator salaries

Measure J will continue improving Jefferson Elementary School District schools - and we know that improving our schools makes our community a more desirable place to live, do business, and raise a family. 

For safer, more secure and healthier schools in Jefferson Elementary School District:

Vote YES on Measure J!

/s/ Thomas Nuris, Member, JESD Bond Citizen Oversight Committee

/s/ Victoria Magbilang, ED DC Public Library Associates

/s/ Carla Ng-Garrett, Trustee, JUHSD School Board

/s/ Noralyn Sangalang, President, Jefferson Council PTA

/s/ Olga Garcia, Secretary, SB Anthony PTA 

Jefferson Elementary School District's enrollment is declining with 374 fewer students in 2021 than in 2012. Yet the district wants to be "acquiring" and "constructing" classrooms for fewer students.  Why?

In 2012, voters approved $67.5 million of debt for the district to "repair deteriorating roofs" and "construct, repair classrooms". Then in 2018, voters granted another $30 million of debt to "repair/upgrade aging classrooms."

Do classrooms really need construction and extensive repairs every 6 years? (If so, why aren't repairs and maintenance included in annual budgeting?)

These loans are on top of the $13,255 that they spend per student annually (latest figure 2019-20) which also comes from your property taxes.

That's $265,100 - more than a quarter million dollars - per classroom per year (based on a class size of 20).

Clearly the district is not finished milking you: they now want $45 million plus 3+ decades of interest payments, doubling the cost.  Bond debt, like home mortgages, must be repaid - with interest of up to 12% year (legal limit!)

The state government has an estimated $31 billion surplus - some say higher - so why borrow more?

Just when families are grappling with 7.9% rise in prices, how does it make sense to raise our taxes? Why not utilize the state's massive surplus - i.e. our tax money?

Next: Are the children getting good academic results through your tax dollars?

Sadly, they are not.

* 52.21% of district children are behind grade level in English

* 62.16% of children are behind grade level in math

(Source: California Department of Education's Education Data Partnership: www.Ed-Data.org)

Just say NO to more debt!

You can be FOR teachers, FOR children, and FOR education but AGAINST decades of bonded indebtedness.

Please, vote NO on Measure J.

For information: www.SVTaxpayers.org

/s/ Mark W.A. Hinkle, President, Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association

/s/ Christopher Minoletti, President Pro Tem, Libertarian Party of San Mateo County 

Jefferson Elementary School District's enrollment is declining with 374 fewer students in 2021 than in 2012. Yet the district wants to be "acquiring" and "constructing" classrooms for fewer students.  Why?

In 2012, voters approved $67.5 million of debt for the district to "repair deteriorating roofs" and "construct, repair classrooms". Then in 2018, voters granted another $30 million of debt to "repair/upgrade aging classrooms."

Do classrooms really need construction and extensive repairs every 6 years? (If so, why aren't repairs and maintenance included in annual budgeting?)

These loans are on top of the $13,255 that they spend per student annually (latest figure 2019-20) which also comes from your property taxes.

That's $265,100 - more than a quarter million dollars - per classroom per year (based on a class size of 20).

Clearly the district is not finished milking you: they now want $45 million plus 3+ decades of interest payments, doubling the cost.  Bond debt, like home mortgages, must be repaid - with interest of up to 12% year (legal limit!)

The state government has an estimated $31 billion surplus - some say higher - so why borrow more?

Just when families are grappling with 7.9% rise in prices, how does it make sense to raise our taxes? Why not utilize the state's massive surplus - i.e. our tax money?

Next: Are the children getting good academic results through your tax dollars?

Sadly, they are not.

* 52.21% of district children are behind grade level in English

* 62.16% of children are behind grade level in math

(Source: California Department of Education's Education Data Partnership: www.Ed-Data.org)

Just say NO to more debt!

Please, vote NO on Measure J.

For information: www.SVTaxpayers.org

/s/ Mark W.A. Hinkle, President, Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association

/s/ Christopher Minoletti, President Pro Tem, Libertarian Party of San Mateo County 

It's a shame that rigid ideologues - living outside Jefferson Elementary School District - are misleading voters to the detriment of local students.  These naysayers have submitted similar arugments against every school measure in San Mateo County, full of mistruths and distortions. 

Voters in Jefferson Elementary School District value children and their safety! Measure J will provide safe, secure schools environments for our youngest students to learn and thrive!  Making safety upgrades, improving ventilation and providing outdoor learning and eating spaces is critical to Jefferson Elementary School District's ability to provide safe, healthy learning environments.

Vote YES on Measure J to:

* Replace broken fences - establish safe, secure boundaries around schools

* Build more student drop-off zones, reducing pedestrian accidents

* Repair windows to improve ventilation

* Provide outdoor learning and eating spaces to reduce virus transmission

Measure J has strict accountability requirements ensuring local funds are used for our students.

Measure J requires:

* All funds raised are controlled locally to support Jefferson Elementary School District facilities and cannot be taken away by the State

* Independent citizen oversight and annual audits ensure Measure J completes voter-approved projects. Promises kept.

* All funds spent for our local students, none can be used for administrator salaries

Measure J continues improving JESD school facilities - and we know that improving our schools makes our community a more desirable place to live, work, and raise a family.

Join community leaders, concerned residents and local businesses to protect students, provide safe, secure, and healthy schools.

/s/ Adrienne Tissier, Former San Mateo County Supervisor

/s/ Dong Tran, President, Westlake Elementary PTA

/s/ Rae Gonzalez, Council Member, City of Colma

/s/ Annette Shreve, Retired Broadmoor Resident 

/s/ Clayton Koo, President, Jefferson Elementary School District Board