District Election FAQs
Why has Whittier become such a hot topic?
The Whittier facility built in 1973 is in dire need of repair. Whittier officials claim it will be more cost effective to build a new facility than repair the existing facility. In Fall 2023, Whittier informed the member communities a new building would cost $444.6 million based on a schematic site plan.
At least 10 of the member communities have no funding mechanism in place to absorb this multi-million dollar expense.
With no funding mechanism, how will cities and towns pay for the new Whittier project?
Each community will need to determine how to absorb the Whittier costs. Most cities and towns already tax close to the Prop 2 ½ limit, so two alternatives are possible.
One possibility is to cut local services such as schools, libraries, and senior services.
The other possibility is a voter-approved debt exclusion to raise new taxes. A debt exclusion is a temporary increase to fund a capital expenditure financed through borrowing. The exclusion lasts for the life of the bond (usually 30 years) and ends when the debt is retired.
Borrowing through a debt exclusion will put other initiatives and capital projects in each community at risk.
How much will it cost each community?
Preliminary estimates to build a new facility for Whittier Tech are $444.6 million dollars, based on a schematic plan versus engineering designs.
The cost to the 11 member communities is estimated to be $269.5 million with receipt of a recent MSBA grant along with potential federal incentives and state rebates.
The 1967 agreement to establish the Whittier Regional School District specifies capital costs divided among the municipalities based on the number of students in each community’s school district, not the number of students enrolled at Whittier Tech.
Below are the total anticipated costs by community and the annual debt service for 30 years.
Can communities stop sending students to Whittier?
Yes, however the terms of Whittier’s 1967 founding agreement specify that each community will be responsible for the project’s capital cost regardless of how many students they send to Whittier.
This cost sharing agreement is not standard. Capital costs for the last two voc-techs built, Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School and Northeast Metropolitan Regional Voc Tech, were based on number of students who attend versus number of students in the member school district.
What does a YES vote on January 23 do?
A YES vote will commit the 11 sending communities to up to $444.6 million in new spending with no funding mechanism in place.
A YES vote will raise property taxes if voters approve borrowing to cover the unplanned expense.
A YES vote will potentially require local service cuts (depending on the amount borrowed) to services such as schools, public works, public safety, and senior services.
What does a NO vote on January 23 do?
A NO vote rejects the $444.6 million price tag and the debt it requires.
A NO vote creates the opportunity to modify the plan for the MSBA, start a new grant application, and/or develop a renovation plan.
A NO vote does NOT automatically trigger renovations. Future expenditures for Whittier are still subject to a vote, either via ballot question or as part of Whittier’s annual operating budget.