Voters across San Diego County will decide on nine school bond measures this November, with districts seeking millions — and in one case, billions — of dollars to fund school construction, facility repairs and campus improvements.

The proposals range from a $9 million bond for Julian Union High School District to a $3.5 billion measure for San Diego Unified School District. While several districts say the funding is critical to maintaining and modernizing their campuses, a local taxpayers association has raised concerns about one of the measures.

San Diego Unified seeks $3.5 billion with Measure M

San Diego Unified School District is asking voters to approve Measure M, the largest school bond proposal on the ballot, totaling $3.5 billion.

School board President Richard Barrera said the funding would help the district continue improvements to aging school buildings, including “modernizing schools, you know, repairing the plumbing, re repairing the roofs.”

Measure M would extend the district’s existing tax rate of $32 per $100,000 in assessed property value for another 10 years.

Barrera said postponing maintenance and modernization could ultimately cost taxpayers more.

“One thing that’s important for us to continue to remind everybody is if we do nothing, if we do no work on improving our facilities, the depreciation in our facilities is about $400 million a year,” Barrera said. “Then we are digging a huge hole for future taxpayers.”

Julian Union High School District proposes $9 million bond

At the other end of the spectrum, Julian Union High School District is seeking $9 million through Measure J, the smallest school bond proposal on the ballot.

The district plans to use the money to upgrade its career technical education facilities, improve safety and purchase new equipment.

“It would be give us a chance to modernize all of our facilities for safety, for new machines and new equipment, to really make sure that we have great CTE programs,” said Jack Larkin of Julian Union High School District.

If approved, Measure J would cost property owners $30 per $100,000 in assessed property value annually for the next 30 years.

Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District seeks $624 million

Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District is the only community college district with a bond measure on the ballot.

Its Measure G would authorize $624 million in funding while extending an existing property tax rate of $25 per $100,000 in assessed value from Proposition R, which voters approved 24 years earlier.

District Chancellor Lynn Ceresino Neault said the proposal would not increase the existing tax rate, an important distinction as residents face rising living expenses.

“Folks are struggling…paying for gas, paying for food. So it’s really the biggest message we’re trying to share with our community is this is not an increase to your taxes.”

Taxpayers association raises concerns about Measure H

The San Diego County Taxpayers Association, a nonpartisan organization that evaluates ballot proposals, supports eight of the nine school bond measures.

The exception is Measure H, a proposal from Jamul-Dulzura Union School District seeking $18 million.

Association CEO Mark Kersey said voters face numerous decisions this election.

“It’s a crowded ballot. There’s a lot of very important decisions that need to be made,” Kersey said.

Kersey said the association had concerns about the district’s justification for the funding and the condition of its facilities.

“We just had some questions that were not, fully answered in terms of the kind of the need and the facilities list that they put together and the condition of those facilities.”

Jamul-Dulzura’s superintendent said the district provided additional information about its facility needs and funding sources to the association, hoping it would reconsider its opposition.

Mountain Empire Unified seeks $23 million for schools

Mountain Empire Unified School District is also asking voters to approve a bond measure, with significant projects depending on the outcome.

The rural district is seeking $23 million to repair its elementary schools and build a new high school.

Across San Diego County, the proposed school bonds represent major investments in educational facilities. Voters will decide whether to authorize the funding and the associated property tax obligations in November.

Fallbrook Union Elementary School District asks voters for $76 million

The approximately 5,000 student district says it needs $76 million to repair, modernize, construct, acquire and equip school facilities. The measure K structure proposes a bond “extension” keeping the tax rate flat.

In a statement, FUESD wrote, “the proposed $76 million bond extension represents approximately 16 percent of those identified needs and is intended to focus available resources on priority projects involving student safety, regulatory compliance, facility condition, instructional impact and opportunities to leverage state matching funds.”

La Mesa-Spring Valley School District Measure AA seeks $131 million

The district reports some of it’s schools were built so long ago that underground clay and cast-iron pipes and infrastructure are failing, resulting in gas leaks, water leaks, and sewage backups. Last year alone, there were 95 roof leaks

If approved, the district says measure AA would improve roofing, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems. It would modernize classrooms and other facilities and levy $22 per $100,000 of assessed property value. 

Santee School District Measure BB Proposes $30 million bond

In a statement, Santee Elementary School District says as school facilities age, roofs, plumbing, heating and air-conditioning systems, safety equipment and other essential infrastructure require repair or replacement.

It says measure BB would provide funding for repairs and improvements at local elementary schools while extending, but not increasing, the current tax rate.

Vista Unified School District seeks $543 million

Vista Unified says many of it’s schools were built more than 60 years ago and don’t meet modern building safety codes. Over 400 portable classrooms at these schools are more than 25 years old and falling apart with structural damage- including failing underground pipes that result in gas leaks, water leaks, and sewage backups- and older buildings may have hazardous materials such as asbestos and lead pipes.

If approved, the district says measure N would fix or replace decaying schools and classrooms with safe, modern classrooms, by extending the $58 tax per 100k in assessed property value.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication.