The Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) is trying to raise our property taxes again this June. This is the same school district that blew millions of dollars last time we passed a school bond. The same school district with a worse record than Los Angeles Unified. SAUSD has lost millions of dollars in the last few years to fraud, corruption and constant ineptitude. So why should we vote for another bond? I say vote the bums off the SAUSD school board and fire inexperienced and overpaid SAUSD Superintendent Jane Russo!
Moreover, there are a umber of other school districts in Orange County that have suffered a reduction in enrollment, but have cut less teachers than Santa Ana has. Why is that? Only one answer will do – SAUSD is suffering from MISMANAGEMENT. You won’t cure that with another bond.
Here is another issue to consider. Mike Vail, who works in planning for the SAUSD, is the guy who utterly screwed up with the construction budget, according to an insider, during the construction that took place after the first bond. I am told he was off on one project by over double! He left the district after that, but guess what? They hired him back! Now he is waiting eagerly to screw up again should we be dumb enough to pass another school bond.
Now why does the SAUSD need another bond when they are closing schools, delaying the opening of schools, firing teachers and enrollment keeps going down? It doesn’t make sense. Why aren’t they doing something about our awful graduation rates? I hear that almost 60% of SAUSD students end up dropping out. Good grief – no wonder we have a crime problem in Santa Ana!
Now you too can weigh in on this useless and unnecessary bond. Go to this link and you can vote on whether the SAUSD should raise our taxes again in June. Vote No on Measure G on June 3!
Great post Art! Can you please tell us who is supporting the bond and why? Also, I understand that no one filed a response (opposing the bond) for the ballot. Why not? Keep up the good work.
This bond should pass because:
1.Most SA schools are old,need repair, and have too many portables. Many of the sites look slummy.
2. The funds are there NOW-they cannot be used to save jobs.
3. If SA does not get the funds some other district would.
Art, It’s easy to say “throw the bums out”, but who you got to take they’re places? What I’d far rather hear from you is “Vote the good guys in!”, and I’d be cheering you on. I teach here and suffer the gross mismanagement you speak of — but, I don’t live here, and don’t know who the “good guys” are that might step forward and lead us out of the quagmire we’re in. C’mon SA bloggers, start naming the dream team for SAUSD. (Do they hang out at Martinez’ bookstore?)
#2
You are ubsurd! Anyone who works for the district knows that over 50% of the schools went under major renovation over the last 6 years. The list is too long to tick off here. Not to mention Segerstrom, Godinez, Esqueda, and Villa were built and dozens of bungalows have been removed.
With all that work performed the district still managed to piss away so much money under the table that they need more to complete the failed promise they made from the last bond measure. I think not.
In case those numbers from the DOE slipped by you, student enrollment declined double that of SAUSD at Capistrano and Anaheim city districts. Even Saddleback unified shows a higher decrease in enrollment. Why are these districts not giving over 500 pink slips to their teachers? Is it perhaps because they don’t pad their payroll with overpaid administration, abuse funds to the level that SAUSD does? Or perhaps is it just simple incompetance?
#1
Go to voteyes4measureg.com
There’s an endorsement column. The usuals are endorsing this tax increase and most of them DO NOT live within the district, so it’s no skin off their nose.
Wouldn’t it be nice to know who is funding this campaign.
Follow the $$$$
All the excessive adminstrative staff have given Santa Ana Unfied School District a Muffin-Top. It’s time for the District to cut some adminstrators.
Art, I agree with start throwing names out of a dream team………..Few may know and this would be helpful since its public info……..the salaries of Russo and her Asst Supt………..4 to 5 Asst and a Spt = $1,000,000 + wow how many jobs could be saved with that
#8
Since you’re hurling names, it’s critical to remember that Audrey Noji singularly recruited Russo back to SAUSD with the promise of ascending to Superintendent.
Russo does not have a PH.D. in education, does not speak Spanish, therefore cannot communicate with the parents she serves and pulls down in excess of $250,000 annually.
Shameful!
Vote NO on Measure G June 3
Teacher Union literature says that the CTA is FOR the bond measure.