The district began its secret, "transparent" campaign for its brand-spankin'-new, retread bond measure for the November election over three months ago. Except for the campaign mailers and rumors, I haven't heard anything from the district in almost a year.
According to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, the district has talked to a powerful Walnut neighborhood group. Maybe the bond's about parking garages or solar farms.
That's really not terrible news, because the voters aren't paying attention yet. That's why the vote on the "election order" is a secret, until it's not a secret.
Last year, I was learning. I made some mistakes. This year I know exactly how it all works. I'm prepared.
It's a completely different kind of election, however. I need more of your help.
The stakes are higher, not in the dollar amount, but in the impact. If you defeat this measure, it will likely be a very long time before the district attempts another one. It's walking into a mine field. It may actually start listening to you, the people who are paying the bills.
It almost doesn't matter what the actual measure says. The same language is being used in districts all over the state because it's being written by the same hired guns. They won't change it and the district itself is too incompetent to do anything other than what its outside advisors dictate.
The district is desperate and all it has is lies to spread, so it will likely double down and try to raise $200,000 to $300,000 to get the bond passed. You know the old saying, if you repeat a lie often enough ... I even know the likely contributors, a couple of which may even shock you. How do I know? I keep my ear to the ground. And I have the experience of the 45 bond elections that just occurred on June 7th. (You'll have to sign up to get underneath the hood at that link.)
Regardless, only a real grassroots campaign will defeat this measure. You are the real grassroots.
If you can do nothing else, can you host a house or yard meeting for 10 to 15 of your immediate neighbors? It's actually fun and very easy to do and takes just an hour of your time.
I also have a whole list of tiny tasks that would be very helpful to get done. I can't list them publicly. Some involve a computer, some a phone, some a little intrigue, and some a short errand. Many of these tasks need to be done in the next month to be effective. How are you willing to help?
Here's the preliminary public schedule. Some of the items are subject to change, but generally this is it. Help us out by volunteering for an activity and a time.
| Date | Time | What | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| July | |||
| 07-07 | 6pm | Dog and pony show at adult school. | This is the third major event in the district's campaign. The resolution's already been written. The district is just following its historical pattern of lies and deceit to trick you into thinking otherwise. |
| 07-13 | 7pm | Trustees adopt the election order resolution. | There's a zero chance that the vote won't be unanimous. Mr. Philip 'Howard Jarvis' Chen will vote for the second biggest tax on district taxpayers in history, second only to the biggest tax in district history which he voted for last year. |
| 07-15 to 07-31 | As booked | Neighborhood house / yard meetings. Invitees only. | Jean for booking details. |
| 07-15 to 07-31 | 9am to 7pm Fridays and weekends | Targeted face-to-face door-knocking. (DB /WAL) 1 to 2 hour shifts. | Michael for list, short training session required. |
| 07-18 to 07-28 | 9am to 7pm Weekdays | Targeted flyer distribution. Open shifts. | Bob (WAL), Kevin (DB) for list, instructions. |
| 07-20 to 07-27 | 5:30pm to 7pm | Sycamore Canyon Park, Diamond Bar. Free concert and movie, if you want to hang around. | Steve |
| August | |||
| 08-01 to 08-31 | 9am to 7pm Weekdays | Targeted flyer distribution. Open shifts. | Bob (WAL), Kevin (DB) for list, instructions. |
| 08-01 to 08-31 | As booked | Neighborhood house / yard meetings. Invitees only. | Jean for booking details. |
| 08-03 | 5:30pm to 7pm | Sycamore Canyon Park, Diamond Bar. Free concert and movie, if you want to hang around. | Steve |
| 08-05 to 08-28 | 9am to 7pm Fridays and weekends | Targeted face-to-face door-knocking. (DB /WAL) 1 to 2 hour shifts. | Michael for list, short training session required. |
| 08-12 | 5pm | Measure / tax rate filing deadline. | Registrar of Voters |
| 08-19 | 5pm | Ballot argument deadline. | Richard |
| 08-20 to 08-29 | 5pm | Public examination period. | Richard |
| 08-29 | 5pm | Ballot rebuttal deadline. | Richard |
| September | |||
| 09-01 to 09-30 | As booked | Neighborhood house / yard meetings. Invitees only. | Jean for booking details. |
| 09-01 to 09-30 | 9am to 7pm weekends and Labor Day 5:30pm to 7pm weekdays | Door knocking in Diamond Bar and Walnut neighborhoods. Volunteer for a one to two hour shift. | Michael |
| 09-08 to 09-29 | 8pm to 9pm | Weekly public tele-town hall. Ask questions. Discuss. | Richard |
| 09-29 to 10-18 | -- | Sample ballots in the mail. | Registrar of Voters |
| October | |||
| 10-01 to 10-31 | As booked | Neighborhood house / yard meetings. Invitees only. | Jean for booking details. |
| 10-01 to 10-30 | 9am to 7pm weekends 5:30pm to 7pm weekdays | Door knocking in Diamond Bar and Walnut neighborhoods. Volunteer for a one to two hour shift. | Michael |
| 10-01 to 10-07 | 12pm to 8pm | Phone Banking from your home | Richard for system access |
| 10-06 to 10-27 | 8pm to 9pm | Weekly public tele-town hall. Ask questions. Discuss. | Richard |
| 10-08 | 9:30am to 6pm | Walnut Family Festival, Suzanne Park Booth ?? | Jean |
| 10-10 to 10-30 | 12pm to 8pm | Phone Banking from your home | Richard for system access |
| 10-11 to 11-01 | -- | Vote by mail ballots in the mail. | Registrar of Voters |
| 10-31 | 5pm to 9pm | Trick or Treat Creepy, spooky, or scary? Call or text for details. 909-378-5401 | Richard |
| November | |||
| 11-01 to 11-06 | As booked | Neighborhood house / yard meetings. Invitees only. | Jean for booking details. |
| 11-01 to 11-06 | 9am to 7pm weekends 5:30pm to 7pm weekdays | Door knocking in Diamond Bar and Walnut neighborhoods. Volunteer for a one to two hour shift. | Michael |
| 11-01 to 11-07 | 12pm to 8pm | Phone Banking from your home | Richard for system access |
| 11-03 | 8pm to 10pm | Final weekly public tele-town hall. Ask questions. Discuss. | Richard |
| 11-08 | 7am to 8pm | Poll watching at your precinct | Richard |
Measure O lists "types of upgrades and improvements." This is contrary to the constitutional requirement that the measure provide a "list of specific school facilities projects." As written, it doesn't qualify for the ballot.
The $208 million amount is not based on estimates of budgets for the "types of upgrades and improvements" listed. It's just a big pile of money. It's exactly 2% of the total assessed value of the property in the district and 80% of the maximum amount of bonds the district is allowed to issue by law.
The citizens' oversight committee is completely controlled and dominated by the district administration and the Board. The Board has proven, by its disregard of the rules during the disbursement of the Measure S and Measure Y bonds, that it cannot be trusted and doesn't want oversight of any kind.
The financial audit and, more importantly, the performance audit are being conducted by the same firm with which the Board and the administration already have a very cozy relationship. The firm earns thousands of dollars from the district for its regular annual work. It's a conflict of interest for the same firm to be a watchdog for the taxpayers.
This is a complex issue. In 2004, the State Attorney General wrote an opinion on this, which was based on the school district having qualified staff that could save the district money over hiring outside managers. It didn't take long for those bases to be ignored. The opinion is now used as the basis for funds to be used for anything the administration can get past the oversight committee and the auditors. The old proverb, "give an inch and they'll take a mile", was never more true.
The "types of upgrades and improvements" are so vague as to mean anything the Board wants it to mean in the future. The kitchen-sink paragraph covers all the other maintenance not already in the list. By removing maintenance from the budget, the money that the district already collects in taxes can be used for salaries, benefits, and pensions for administrators and teachers.
How do you feel about being manipulated? How do you feel about people who use children to influence serious public policy issues?
On Wall Street of the West, it's all about the money. That's where the firm that was hired to manipulate you plies its trade. It preys on desperate, mismanaged school districts who know they're in trouble. Why did the Board hire TBWB? Why didn't it trust that it had compelling reasons to ask you for $400 million of your hard-earned money? Is it really about the children?
Step 3: Build a strong measure by aligning the measure's features with the community's priorities and sensitivities.
TWDB's Approach
Did TBWB tell the Board to ignore the constitution and not put a "list of specific school facilities projects" in the measure? Perhaps if you saw the list, you wouldn't be so willing to give the Board your money.
CCSS requires repetitive computerized testing and capturing of biometric and personal data on students and their families. All the individually identifiable data collected by the testing and the enormous longitudinal database of personal, health, psychological, familial, and biometric data would make George Orwell turn over in his grave. That data will follow your children throughout their lives. It is shared with state and federal government agencies as well as private companies and public institutions that the federal government deems suitable along with any other government or organization that can hack into it.
The Board uses the term "instructional technology" five times in the measure, yet it doesn't define it anywhere. Reading between the lines, this is the technology to support CCSS, the most Orwellian government program of our lifetime.
Our sole focus right now is the $208 million bond ($400 million tax) measure that Walnut Valley Unified School District placed on the November 3rd ballot. It's named Measure "O", as in 'oh no, more taxes.'
We're just like you. We care about the community and its future. We dislike it when those who took an oath to defend and support our rights (all elected officials and public employees) put us in a position of having to spend huge amounts of our valuable time to do what they're paid by us to do.
We especially dislike when our hard-earned money is taken in taxes and then frittered away or actually wasted.
For updates and to help, please opt in(<click).
To join the ground swell of opposition, Endorse No On Oh(<click).
It's unfortunate that our elected officials and public employees feel that they must deceive you in order to get their way. The deceit about this measure ranges from outright falsehoods, to technically truthful, to avoidance, to misdirection.
Below you'll find real questions and real answers. New questions are scheduled to be added as the election gets closer. Some answers may be updated or corrected. I'll post the date of any changes, so you don't have to re-read stuff you've read before that hasn't changed.
You won't get anything useful from the WVUSD web site. The few pieces of information that are made public are the spin and the propaganda. The real stuff is hidden. It's also boring and generally incomprehensible. If you do find it, it will be impossible to use. We're paying for that too.
A. 1 It tried, but you saw through its scheme and rejected it. Measure O (2015) failed miserably. The District's campaign used $106,842.50 to trick you into voting for its scheme. Despite fancy mailers paid for both by the District (using your money) and the campaign (school bonds cartel money), you saw through it. Measure S and Y raised $79,800,000 in 2007. It's all been spent. (But you're still going to be paying for it for years.) Read Measure S (2007) and Measure Y (2007).
A. 1 You'll pay back every penny of the money that the Board spends with this measure along with the interest on the loan, along with the fees and costs that the big bankers, lawyers, and lobbyists run up. It's secured debt just like a mortgage, which means your home is collateral. The tax will be imposed on your property and it'll increase your annual county property tax by an amount that you'll only learn about when you get the bill.
A. 2 Yes it did! Measure S and Y raised $79,800,000 in 2007. It's all been spent. (But you're still going to be paying for it for years.) Read Measure S and Measure Y. The Board wants money for the same things that you've already paid for just a few short years ago.
| Election | Amount | Purpose | Approved | Students | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 2016 | $152,880,000 | Free regular budget from all maintenance, so it can be used to increase salaries and benefits; slush fund. | 49.9 % | Vote NO! | |
| November 2015 | $208,000,000 | Free regular budget from all maintenance, so it can be used to increase salaries and benefits; slush fund. | 53.1 % | FAILED! | |
| November 2007 | $15,200,000 | Upgrade athletic fields, facilities and equipment; upgrade school grounds; construct tennis courts and pool. | 56.9 % | 15,174 | Passed |
| November 2007 | $64,600,000 | Construct, acquire, repair, equip school labs, classrooms, and facilities; upgrade technology and safety system. | 61.2 % | 15,174 | Passed |
| March 2004 | $148/parcel-6yrs | Staff, materials; maintain class size, program | 63.6 % | 14,686 | Failed |
| March 2000 | $50,000,000 | Modernization; renovation; new construction | 71.4 % | 14,827 | Passed |
| June 1991 | $50,000,000 | Construction; improvements | 74.6 % | 12,886 | Passed |
| Total | $179,800,000 | Passed |
A. 3 You're kidding, right? Didn't you read the fine print? "certain of the projects described above may be delayed or may not be completed." The Board listed the projects to sell you on the idea of letting it borrow money. It has no obligation to do any of them. It can pick and choose and set its own priorities.
Diamond Bar High School, instead of a pool ("Construct new/renovate existing pools" - Measure Y), got an $11 million aquatic center. Chaparral Middle School, instead of an upgraded science lab ("upgrade science lab" - Measure S), got a $15 million, brand new 14-classroom science wing called a "Design-Based Learning Building". Sounds impressive, doesn't it?
After blowing the budgets for some of the projects in the list, there wasn't enough money for others. The people of Walnut haven't been represented on the Board in years. So, guess where the money was spent?
After the favored schools got their super-sized slices of the pie, Collegewood Elementary School didn't get to "Replace aged relocatable classrooms with five permanent classrooms" (Measure S).
Westhoff Elementary School didn't get to "build coverings for all six stairwells" (Measure S). So when we had heavy rain on September 15th, the Westhoff children still had to navigate the slippery and wet exterior stairs on the three two-story buildings on the site, just as they've done since the buildings were built. So much for student safety being a priority.
The moral to this story is don't listen to what the Board says, look at what it does. When will you wake up? If the Board can do this when it gave you a specific list, what do you think is going to happen when you give the Board a blank check?
A. 4 This is an example of the meaningless and deceptive drivel that's the stock and trade of the Astro-Turfers.
Here's the deal. The tax rate is the percentage that is applied to the assessed value of your real property. Proposition 13 (1978) fixed tax rates on all real property in the state as the highest law -- the Constitution. The Board can't raise your tax rate. It'd love to, like local governments do all the time in many other states. It can't do it.
So, the claim is just deceptive propaganda. It's technichally true. It demonstrates the Board's belief that the voters are stupid.
The only ways that the Board can dip into your pocket and take your money is if you vote to approve either a bond measure (the most expensive way to pay for anything) or a parcel tax. A parcel tax requires two-thirds of the voters to approve.
The Board and the other proponents believe the voters are ignorant and that by using deceptive language they can trick you into voting for this boondoggle.
There is no breakdown for Measure O spending. There isn't even a list of specific school facilities projects in the measure that the voters will vote on.
The parents are, once again, being tricked into believing that side promises -- the promises made in private meetings -- mean anything.
A measure is a legal agreement (contract). When the voters vote, the actual language of the measure is the only thing that matters. Just as in contracts that you sign, if you don't get those promises in writing, they mean nothing after you sign. People who make promises to induce you to sign a contract, but don't put those promises in the contract, commit fraud.
Not a single one of the verbal promises made to the parents is in the measure. It's all vague on purpose. That's contrary to the California constitution.
Measure O is funded completely by the school bond construction industry. The backers only care about how a big a share of the pie they'll end up with.
To repeat, if it's not in the measure printed in the ballot, it means nothing. The 'full measure' is the legal agreement. The parents who believe differently are misinformed.
These parents are likely either shills or have been so dumbed-down that they have no understanding of our American system of law.
Copyright © 2015, Richard Michael. All Rights Reserved.