Score: -3 (0/5/3)

San Diego County Grand Jury • 2024-2025

The Tangled Web of Sdusd Bond Initiatives

Published: May 14, 2025 19 pages

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⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.

⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

Findings and Recommendations 8 findings

F01

SDUSD has not always complied with this requirement, either in voter information materials or proposed ballot summary language. Fact: The California Election Code sets as a standard “ . . . good faith in presenting to voters the most accurate available information for their use in effecting comparisons and exercising judgment in casting their ballots.”

No recommendations for this finding

F02

SDUSD has consistently failed to inform voters of previous property tax rate increases associated with prior SDUSD voter-approved bonds when placing new bond initiatives before voters.

No recommendations for this finding

F03

SDUSD has not informed voters of total accrued debt service for all bonds previously approved by voters for which payment is still outstanding when presenting new bond initiatives for voter consideration. Fact: The California Election Code requires school districts to provide voters with an estimate of total debt service associated with bond initiatives.

No recommendations for this finding

F04

SDUSD has failed to provide total debt service in some bond initiatives placed before voters, and in summary ballot language has obscured the total amount of debt service by providing an annual estimate only. Fact: The California Constitution requires school districts seeking voter support for bond initiatives to provide, “ [a] list of the specific school facilities projects” to be supported by the bonds.

No recommendations for this finding

F05

SDUSD has not provided meaningful, specific lists of projects to be funded by bond proceeds to voters. Fact: Ballot summaries are a key source of information for voters.

No recommendations for this finding

F06

Ballot summaries do not highlight debt service and property tax rate increase information as well as new initiatives voters are being asked to approve. Fact: SDUSD has repeatedly proposed new bond initiatives before bonds previously authorized by voters have been exhausted. 11

No recommendations for this finding

F07

Voters are not informed of any outstanding unissued bonds before being asked to authorize new ones. Fact: The State sets a limit of 2.5 percent of assessed property values for the value of all bonds actually issued by a unified school district.

No recommendations for this finding

F08

SDUSD indicated in 2022’s Measure U that a “yes” vote indicated support for SDUSD to seek a waiver of the 2.5 percent limit, suggesting it anticipates exceeding it.

No recommendations for this finding

Agency Responses 1

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.

San Diego Unified School District

August 18, 2025 • 8 pages • 10 responses • Score: -3 (+0, 5, -3) View Details ▾

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10 responses to findings and recommendations

R1

Inform voters of the total amounts of prior property tax assessment rates related to all outstanding SDUSD bonds, in addition to the new proposed property tax rate increase associated with any new bond initiative

Response: Will Not Implement

Score: -1

The recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted or is not reasonable. Explanation: The District is not required by the Constitution or applicable statutes to present detailed information relating to the prior property tax assessment rates related to all outstanding District bonds, in connection with new bond measures, and the presentation of such information is likely to mislead or confuse voters from the single issue they are voting on. Recommendation R2: Provide voters with a comprehensive total debt service figure including prior approved debt service for all outstand...

F02

SDUSD has consistently failed to inform voters of previous property tax rate increases associated with prior SDUSD voter-approved bonds when placing new bond initiatives before voters.

Response: Unknown Score: 0

above, each of the District's bond measures indicates, in the tax rate statement, that the estimates relating to the tax rate for the bonds are in addition to, and not 6 August 11, 2025 inclusive of, other taxes levied by the District to pay bonds authorized at other elections. Additionally, the District has purposefully included only required information and such additional information as is helpful to voters without confusing the single issue presented in each bond measure. See

R2

Provide voters with a comprehensive total debt service figure including prior approved debt service for all outstanding bonds previously approved by voters as well as total debt service estimate associated with any new bond initiative proposed for voter approval

Response: Will Not Implement

Score: -1

The recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted or is not reasonable Explanation: The District is not required by the Constitution or applicable statutes to provide a comprehensive total debt service figure including debt service related to all outstanding bonds 7 August 11, 2025 previously approved by the voters, in connection with new bond measures, and the presentation of such information is likely to mislead or confuse voters from the single issue they are voting on. Recommendation R3: Provide voters with the total amount of previously approved bonds that have not y...

R3

Provide voters with the total amount of previously approved bonds that have not yet been issued by SDUSD

Response: Implemented

Score: 0

R3: Provide voters with the total amount of previously approved bonds that have not yet been issued by SDUSD Response: The recommendation has been implemented.

R4

Provide the required school specific list of projects to be financed by the bonds

Response: Implemented

Score: 0

R4: Provide the required school specific list of projects to be financed by the bonds Response: The recommendation has been implemented.

R5

Ensure the County Registrar of Voters receives summary ballot language that includes key property tax rate increase information and total debt service information, both for the bond under review and for previous bonds already approved by voters

Response: Will Not Implement

Score: -1

The recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted or is not Explanation: The District is not required by the Constitution or applicable statutes to provide property tax rate increase information and total debt service information for previous bonds already approved by voters, in connection with new bond measures, and the presentation of such information is likely to confuse voters from the single issue they are voting on. The District already provides in its bond measures information on the estimated property tax rate and total debt service for the bonds (the latter, to th...

F06

Ballot summaries do not highlight debt service and property tax rate increase information as well as new initiatives voters are being asked to approve. Fact: SDUSD has repeatedly proposed new bond initiatives before bonds previously authorized by voters have been exhausted. 11

Response: Disagree Partially Score: 0

with respect to the District's consideration of each bond measure being a single issue. Finding #8: SDUSD indicated in 2022's Measure U that a "yes" vote indicated support for SDUSD to seek a waiver of the 2.5 percent limit, suggesting it anticipates exceeding it. Response: We disagree partially with the finding numbered 08. Measure U included text that allowed the District to seek waiver of its statutory bonding capacity, language which is included in many school district bond measures across the State, regardless of the likelihood of a district needing to seek such waiver. Inclusion of this ...

R6

Ensure the County Registrar of Voters receives ballot summary language that includes any new initiatives which the proposed bonds will support

Response: Implemented

Score: 0

R6: Ensure the County Registrar of Voters receives ballot summary language that includes any new initiatives which the proposed bonds will support Response: The recommendation has been implemented.

F07

Voters are not informed of any outstanding unissued bonds before being asked to authorize new ones. Fact: The State sets a limit of 2.5 percent of assessed property values for the value of all bonds actually issued by a unified school district.

Response: Unknown Score: 0

, the District has stated that the District has not previously sought a waiver of its bonding capacity in connection with bonds that it has Conclusion On behalf of the Board of Education and the staff of the San Diego Unified School District, we appreciate your concern for our District. Sincerely, andrahlgreine Andra M. Greene General Counsel San Diego Unified School District

R7

Inform voters whether SDUSD would have to seek a waiver to exceed the 2.5 percent assessed property value limit for issued bonds 12 Note: the following Section will be automatically added to you report by the GJ Coordinator when report is published. REQUIREMENTS AND INSTRUCTIONS The California Penal Code §933(c) requires any public agency which the Grand Jury has reviewed, and about which it has issued a final report, to comment to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court on the findings and re...

Response: Implemented

Score: 0

The recommendation has been implemented. Explanation: In connection with its response to