Voters in the Oakdale Joint Unified School District (OJUSD) will have a bond measure on their ballots in November as the district has introduced Measure G, a school improvement measure. If approved, funds from the $105.5 million General Obligation bond would be used to address the critical infrastructure needs across the district’s schools. Supporters of the bond note that school districts are not provided funds in their operational budget to address these pressing issues. Measure G aims to repair and modernize aging facilities, ensuring safe and effective learning environments for all students.
An informational flyer has been mailed out from the school district to residents in the community, featuring some ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ and an overview of the bond measure.
Details of the measure and project information are also available to the public at: https://www.ojusd.org/district/measure-g.
This bond would finance essential projects, including but not limited to:
Replacing old roofing, plumbing, and electrical systems.
Upgrading heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
Modernizing classrooms to meet current educational and technological standards.
A local committee working to get information about the bond out to the public and actively seeking support for its passage note that this measure will replace an existing bond measure that is set to expire, and will be phased in as the old 2002 bond phases out. This will ensure the bond rate will not exceed the same rate voters approved in 2002.
“It’s also worth noting that Oakdale maintains the lowest bond rates in Stanislaus County, demonstrating prudent financial management by the district,” supporters added.
Measure G would provide funds so that the district could also qualify for matching facility funds from the state. The bond money would also stay in Oakdale and cannot be used for salaries within the district. A local oversight committee would be put in place to review and audit all expenditures.
“The Oakdale Joint Unified School District has been providing excellent educational services to local children for over 100 years,” District Superintendent Larry Mendonca wrote in the flyer. “Currently, the District educates 5,105 students at the District’s nine schools. It is the hard work of our families, teachers and staff that directly contributes to the success of our students.”
Further, said Mendonca, many old classrooms do not meet 21st century educational and technological standards and the age of the school facilities “no longer affords the ability for patching and isolated repair work.”
Proponents of the bond stressed that the independent citizens’ oversight committee will closely audit all expenditures under Measure G to help ensure transparency and that all funds are strictly used for school facility improvements and not diverted for administrative salaries or other unrelated costs.
“Measure G is crucial to securing the future of our local schools,” supporters noted in a statement outlining the measure. “Approval of this measure will ensure that all funds stay local and benefit Oakdale students directly, while maintaining a responsible financial approach to bond management.”
If approved, officials said the tax rate per property owner will not exceed what voters approved in the 2002 bond, a rate of $59.98 per $100,000 of assessed valuation per year.
