'WUSD asks for vote on new $59 million school bond'
School board asks for vote on Nov. 6, 2007 ballot
Copyright News-Ledger, July 25, 2007
WUSD Superintendent Steve Lawrence
News-Ledger file photo
By Steve Marschke
News-Ledger Editor
West Sacramento’s school board members met in a short-notice meeting on Friday to vote on a resolution asking Yolo County to put a school bond on the November ballot. Schools Superintendent Steve Lawrence said the quick meeting was needed after a miscommunication with county officials about the deadline for Washington Unified School District to make that request of Yolo.
Lawrence proposed a $59 million general obligation bond that “would allow us to build the grade K-8 facilities on current (elementary school) properties. . . as well as infuse a serious amount of money into the schools in the north area.”
Besides helping to pay for the plan to turn some kindergarten-through-sixth grade schools into kindergarten-through-eighth campuses, the bond will also help pay for finishing the new high school.
West Sacramento residents will have a chance to vote on the proposal on the November 6 ballot.
Residents Dani Langford, Mary Lasell and Marna Miller spoke out against the bond.
“You didn’t do what you said you were going to do (with the last school bond),” said Miller. “The (new) Southport school has a climbing wall, and the central schools still have rusted-out things and two-by-fours holding up walls.”
Board member Dave Westin was absent. But the remaining four members (Barry Kalar, Mary Leland, Matt Stegman and Sandra Vargas) voted for the measure.
“This is about academic success for all kids in West Sacramento, in the north and in the south,” said Leland. “I believe all my colleagues are committed to equity.”
“I do hope we have enough support for this bond because our kids deserve it,” added Vargas.
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