The BAC sought to treat all projects of the bond as equally important and achievable. Familiarize yourself with the BAC and other Prop H reports at www.ahscc.com/page4.html. This is the web-based resource page, “BAC Reports and Facts”, provided by the Alpine High School Citizens’ Committee (AHSCC).

The GUHSD is faced with a shortfall in funds available to complete all of the Prop H projects, including the 12^th new high school. Project costs have increased, their scope has grown, and GUHSD facility modernization needs had been underestimated.

So what is the status of the 12^th new high school that was promised for our community in Prop H?  We would like our kids attending a local high school rather than commuting down the hill, a safety concern, and a waste of considerable time that could be spent more productively. 

We all have a stake in this. Local realtors know the absence of a local high school adversely affects property values.  Families have moved from Alpine as their children approach high school age, others don’t move to our area.

All local business, and our elementary school districts are adversely affected. Few communities of Alpine and Blossom Valley’s size do not have a local high school. Prop H, the $275 million bond that combined with State matching funds would total about $475 million, was to be for repair and renovations of the 11 existing high schools in GUHSD and to construct a new 12^th high school in the Alpine and Blossom Valley area.

When Prop H was before the voters it was widely published that the tax assessment to pay for Prop H would be about $28 per $100,000 of assessed valuation.  A home assessed at $500,000 would pay an annual tax of about $140 to pay off the bond.

It was estimated in the Base 2003 GUHSD Long Range Facilities Master Plan (LRFMP), that a comprehensive high school for Alpine would cost $72 million. This was about 19% (See 2003 GUHSD-LRFMP %'s Table)  of the available bond and matching funds for projects then categorized: “Must Do - Should Do - Want To Do”. The original 2003 Base LRFMP is the only known basis for developing the bond project list.

If the optional “Want To Do” Items are subtracted from this Base LRFMP, the 12^th new high school pencils out at about 27% of the entire bond total in 2004 budgeted dollar amounts, by far the single largest original project in Prop H.

The Grossmont Board recognized that it had a problem on its hands. They appointed an independent Bond Advisory Commission (BAC).  The BAC had 4 subcommittees – Finance, Repair & Rehabilitation, Facilities & Curriculum, and Site Selection. In June 2007 they issued a comprehensive report that contained 154 specific recommendations to the Board. 

We will skip the BAC report details, but the critical conclusions merit repeating now.  The Finance Subcommittee (BAC-FSC) called for the immediate hire of professionals to take over managing Prop H projects. The Board accepted that recommendation and hired the reputable firm of Gafcon-Harris in September 2007.

G-H demonstrated competence in managing bond projects for Grossmont Cuyamaca Community College District and the Sweetwater School District. There is every indication that Prop H is now being managed with the proper controls in place.  Another factor is that while costs were escalating, the Prop H bond tax rate actually went down.

Even though housing prices have leveled off or dropped, they’ve increased a great deal since Prop H was passed.  Under Prop 13, properties are re-assessed whenever there is a resale.  Valuations since Prop H passed in 2004 have increased far in excess of inflation. 

In order not to collect more than the $274 million original bond amount, applied bond tax rates were lowered to reflect the increased valuations.  The BAC recommended to the Board a difficult but necessary solution.  A bond extension, or a new bond is needed with a tax rate again at around $28 per $100,000 - the original Prop H figure.

GUHSD will soon make a decision to support or not support a new bond so that it can be placed on the November 2008 ballot.  What happens if the Board, or the voters, doesn’t support the new bond?  Then a new high school becomes a contentious struggle of right and wrong in how existing bond funds are spent.

In the best and fairest case, the Board would vote for the funds for the 12^th new high school. The BAC proposed, and the GUHSD Board agreed, that $65 million should be set aside and did so last year. This $65 million could still be used for purposes other than the 12^th high school if the Board wishes.

In the worst and (in many peoples opinion; contrary to Prop H language) most unfair case, the Board could delete the new school from the program, devoting all Prop H funds to the existing

Respecfully,
Bill Weaver, Chairman - Alpine High School Citizens Committee