VOTERGUIDE 2006 School bonds, state races top local ballots y the end of the day June 6, south San Mateo County BY MARION SOFTKY Bvoters will have marked ALMANAC STAFF WRITER their ballots for as many as 30 offices — from U.S. senator to Arnold Schwarzenegger does not county controller — and voted face serious opposition. yes or no on two, important state State Sen. Jackie Speier, who ballot measures. If they live in served as a San Mateo County the Menlo Park School District, supervisor after being wounded voters will also decide whether to in Guyana at the Jonestown issue $91.1 million in bonds for massacre, is running in a tight school construction. race for lieutenant governor The results from this June 6 pri- with fellow-Democrats John mary will, of course, determine Garamendi, the state insurance the lineup of candidates that commissioner, and state Sen. Liz will face voters in November. Figueroa of Fremont. None is a With more than 50 choices on resident of the Almanac circula- a typical ballot, voters can have tion area, and therefore this race a hard time deciding who will is not included in this guide. best represent them. One of the hottest and nastiest In addition to the sample ballot races in the state is to replace The Almanac/Marjan Sardoughi with the official voter information Sen. Speier in the 8th state Sen- Cars line up to pick up students at Oak Knoll School. The district plans to use funds from the bond measure pamphlet that you get in the mail ate district, which runs from San to help reduce crowding and improve traffic circulation. The option of a bus service is being explored. from the county elections office, a Francisco into north San Mateo great online resource is smartvoter. County, and includes Woodside org, the League of Women Voters and Portola Valley. Duking it out Web site, where you can plug in for the Democratic nomination Schools’ future up to voters your local address and get spe- in the safe Democratic district A $91 million bond measure would fund news facilities on four campuses cific information about races and are three political heavyweights: propositions on your ballot. former San Mateo County ore students are com- ers go on to the district’s Hill- This Almanac’s guide focuses Supervisor Mike Nevin of Daly ing to the four schools BY MARJORIE MADER view Middle School, which has on local matters and the leading City; Assemblyman Leland Yee Min the Menlo Park City ALMANAC STAFF WRITER been recognized nationally as candidates in contested races. of San Francisco; and former School District whether or not a “Blue Ribbon” school. Seven In the governor’s race, for Assemblyman Lou Papan of voters support the $91.1 mil- portable buildings — a third of times it has been named a Cali- example, we report on the Millbrae. lion bond measure on the June the district’s classrooms — the fornia Distinguished School. two leading Democratic candi- The winner will take on the 6 ballot. school board placed Measure dates — Steve Westly and Phil winner in the Republican race If voters approve the mea- U on the June 6 ballot after a Bond measure facts Angelides — only because Mr. between marketing manager sure, the K-8 district will have multi-year research and plan- Westly is an Atherton resident. resources to build more per- ning process. The bond measure falls under On the Republican side, Gov. See ELECTION, page 33 manent classrooms and other The measure would authorize the state’s Prop 39 law, which facilities. If the measure is the borrowing of $91 million means it can pass with the rejected, the district may have through bond issues, to be paid approval of 55 percent of vot- to add more portable classrooms back over 35 years. The total ers, rather than the two-thirds INFORMATION to schools sites to house the interest payments over that required in other bond mea- 440 more students expected by period could total $196 million, sures. ■ Election day. San Mateo County’s 349,194 registered voters 2015. the district says. To qualify under this law, the can cast their ballots Tuesday, June 6, from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m., District projections show a 20 vote must be conducted in a at the polling place shown on the sample ballot. percent growth in enrollment to Why the growth? general — not a special — elec- ■ Mail-in vote. The last day to mail in requests for absentee bal- 2,578 students by 2015, increas- tion. The maximum annual lots is Tuesday, May 30. ing pressure on classrooms, A consultant’s report con- property tax the measure could ■ People with disabilities and other registered voters may vote multi-use facilities, and outdoor firmed what trustees had sus- levy is $30 per $100,000 of prior to election day on eSlate machines at nine Universal Vot- space. pected about enrollment growth assessed value. The district’s ing Centers throughout the county. South County locations are: “I am alarmed at the increase trends. More families moving total outstanding bond debt Elections Office, 40 Tower Road in San Mateo; Assessor-County in the kindergarten enrollment into the district have children cannot exceed 1.25 percent of Clerk-Recorder Office, 555 County Center (corner of Bradford next year — 311 students are entering kindergarten and other the district’s assessed valuation, and Hamilton streets) in Redwood City; and Civic Center, 2415 already registered” at Laurel lower grades. Long-term resi- which now totals $7.1 billion, University Ave. in East Palo Alto. and Oak Knoll schools, said dents usually sell their homes according to records in the ■ First-time voters must present some kind of identification at Superintendent Ken Ranella in to families with school-age San Mateo County Controller’s the polling place. This can be a driver’s license, passport, and/or an interview last week. children. Most of the recent Office. student ID. That number exceeds the enrollment growth has come Also, a bond oversight com- ■ For more information, call 312-5222, or go to the county’s graduating eighth-grade class from families buying or moving mittee must be established election Web site at shapethefuture.org. of 220 students, resulting in a into homes in the highest price within 60 days of the election to ■ Other Web sites carry information on the election, issues, net increase of 91 students in the range; typically such families ensure that the money is spent and candidates: the California Secretary of State, at ss.ca. district, or 4.5 percent, in one have more school-age children. only for school facilities listed gov/elections; the League of Women Voters, at smartvoter.org; year, he said. Also, the district is losing few- in the official voter information easyvoter.org; and calvoter.org. Concerned about rising enroll- er students to private schools. ment and a need to replace 40 About 99 percent of fifth-grad- See SCHOOLS, page 31 May 24, 2006 ■ The Almanac ■ 29 = = = = = =+32/ / &11&)4=&>`= 9-*7943 -..=&7943=&>`=*314= &70 *89=9-*7943=:1=(*=&(=4(&9.43 .`=,_/ 43=+_*1(28=&(7* *<1>=*24)*1*)=)42* /`=- `=,`*-*(28=86_=+9_=43=/`**/(28 149_=6*<1>=:5)&9*)=0.9(-*3`=9*33.8=(4:79`=5441`=85&=&3)=51*39>=4+ 86_=+9_=149_=7472&1=1.;.3,=&3)=).3.3,=74428`=<*118&554.39*)=0.9(-*3 7442=+47=&=,:*89=-4:8*_=='&8='42.9&8=(-441=.897.(9_= <.9-=,7&3.9*=(4:39*78_==8&7)<44)=+14478_=/*314=4&70=8(-4418_ ++*7*)=&9a=N-`2**`*** <<<_/&11&)4&>_(42 ++*7*)=&9a=N+`,32`***============ <<<_-..0&7943&>_(42 ,+1=&2.34= 1=&,4`= 9-*7943 .+/=44)8.)*=7.;*`=44)8.)* =97&47).3&7>= *89= 9-*7943= 4(&9.43 +_-1(28= &(7*8= 4+= 1*;*1` 0*&:9.+:1=0&>=7*&=6.*<8 0`=/ `=.`-**(28=86_=+9_=43=+_*3(28 :8&'1*=1&3)=+47=3*<=(43897:(9.43_== 5*7.2*9*7=&':3)&39=<.9-=4&0 &(7*= 149_= = 5&(.4:8= +144751&3`= *=5&38.;*= )*(0`= +.7*51&(*`= <*9= '&7` 97**8=4++*78=<43)*7+:1=57.;&(>_==/*314=4&70=8(-4418_ 5441`=(&'&3&`='&7=&3)=-_== )/&(*39=94=/*314=04:397>=01:'_ ++*7*)=&9a=N0`1/*`*** ++*7*)=&9a=N,`032`*** <<<_.+/44)8.)*_(42= 1 12*3)7&1= ;*3:*`= 9-*7943 ,+//=&7)=&>`=44)8.)* 0*&:9.+:1=*24)*1*)=)42* -`=-_/ `=,`-.*=(28=86_=+9_=43=& 8(&5*=4 :4:7= <3= 7.;&9*=*97*&9 .`=- +='*)7442`=+ 1&7,*=,,`,/0(28=86_=+9_=149_=5&(.4:8`=<*118&554.39*)=-42*=<.9-=&11 '&9-=.3=8*5&7&9*=&5&792*39=43=4;*7=&=-&1+=&(7*_=4441`=85&`=(&'&3& 9-*='*118=]=<-.891*8_==*5&7&9*=(499&,*_=='&7,*=1&3)8(&5*)=,&7)*3_= '&7`=9*33.8=(4:79=&3)=:5)&9*)=,4:72*9=0.9(-*3_ ++*7*)=&9a=N+`232`*** <<<_112*3)7&1_(42= ++*7*)=&9a=N+`332`*** <<<_,+//&7)_(42= *=&7*=574:)=94=8:55479=9-*=<470=4+a 43&1) ((43&1) )4:8* 3+472&9.43=)**2*)=7*1.&'1*`=':9=349=,:&7&39**)_ 30 ■ The Almanac ■ May 24, 2006 VOTERGUIDE2006 District wants to replace 40 portable classrooms SCHOOLS continued from page 29 pamphlet. District trustees unanimously voted to set the annual tax rate for the bond measure at $28 per $100,000 of assessed valuation. The district proposes to sell the bonds in a series of four install- ments.