Angelenos pass Measure LA

Over 55 percent of voters approved the district’s fifth and largest bond to date.

By Andres Sanchez, Nicholas Orozco and Griffin O’Rourke

(L-R)Cinema Department Professor Jon Stout and Media Arts Professor Jason Williams roll their green-screen tarp to reveal the cracks in the flooring. In addition of covering the flooring cracks, the foundation between the ground and green-screen wall is separating. "Pretty soon it's going to be portable," jokes Stout. The Motion Picture building is one of the six pre-1970 buildings. (Joseph Acuna | Valley Star)

Los Angeles voters approved Measure LA on election night, authorizing a $5.3 billion bond for LACCD campus renovations.

As of Wednesday morning, voters approved the measure with 60.36 percent of the vote for the biggest bond in LACCD history. The bond will tax property owners between $25 and $157 annually, with an expected $345 million in funds raised per year. The tax hike will stretch over the course of 40 years.

Measure LA will bring repairs, renovations and funding to aging buildings throughout the district. It will also boost communal economic development by partnering with local unions. According to athletic director Dave Mallas, the campus is currently about 75 percent completely renovated. With the funds from the measure, it would put the campus at 95-100 percent complete in assessed renovations.

“I voted for it,” said nursing professor Hermel Nuyda. “It needs to be used for all colleges. The money should be divided equally.”

The bond’s funds will be distributed across all nine LACCD campuses, with $1.3 billion in renovations towards pre-1970’s buildings, $734 million to infrastructure, $300 million for technology, $687 million for sustainability and $163 million for athletic facilities.

Of the $5.3 billion, Valley College will see $496.01 million being allocated towards the campus. The buildings which could see renovations will be Music, Art, South Gym, Campus Center, Planetarium and the Motion Picture Studio.

Campus Center's auditorium is empty. Funds from Measure LA will renovate the pre-1970's center. (Nielsen-Snell Kai | Valley Star)

Valley is expected to receive $199.2 million for renovations in pre-1970’s buildings. Along with general renovations, the college plans to modernize wiring and data lines to accommodate Hybrid-Flexible courses. HyFlex technology allows instructors to record their lectures for in-person and virtual students to view at any time.

Infrastructure, technology, sustainability and general college needs will see $85.5 million, $33.5 million, $94.3 million and $62.32 million, respectively. This will include upgrading exterior campus lighting, sidewalks, sewer systems, roadways and parking lots.

Valley’s athletic fields will receive $21.19 million. The football field will see renovations to football home stand bleachers and a new scoreboard and sound system. Baseball and softball fields will see upgrades to the storage rooms and changing areas.

Both 60-year-old gyms will also be renovated with modifications, upgrades or possible complete remodeling.

“There are many old buildings that need to be serviced, upgraded and cleaned,” said Valley custodian Rockne Brown. “We are also understaffed.”

Current active projects at Valley were funded by earlier bond measures; the Valley Academic and Cultural Center, Allied Health & Science Center are nearly complete with 3 other projects slated to be designed next. The district has acquired over $9.6 billion in bond measures over the course of twenty years.

Within 60 days of the measure passing, an independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee will be appointed by the board. The goal of the committee is to assess the account in which the money is deposited into. This committee will also review and report taxpayer money for school construction according to Education Code section 15278.

“I think it’s worth it in the long run for students and the community,” said Baldomero Estada, computer science major.

— With contributions from Cassandra Nava