Preliminary vote tallies show that Bond Measure Y is surpassing the 55% majority needed to pass as a result of the vote in the Nov. 3 general election.
The bond would secure $298 million for Citrus to construct new buildings and upgrade other infrastructure needs.
Results from the L.A. County Registrar/County Clerk’s office showed that as of 4:25 p.m. Nov. 6, 56.6% of voters approve of the Citrus College Career Education, Repair, Affordable Higher Education Measure measure.
The measure was requested July 21 by the Board of Trustees to retain well-qualified teachers and improve the quality of education at Citrus College. Measure Y will implement facilities improvements outlined in the 2020-2030 Educational and Facilities Master Plan, including:
- new job training, science and technology classrooms and laboratories;
- meeting earthquake, fire, clean drinking water safety standards;
- providing resources for students and veterans preparing for university transfer and jobs;
- renovating leaky roofs and removing mold and lead paint.
In addition to meeting plumbing and safety standards, Measure Y proposes the construction of new buildings. Some of the plans include replacing the Liberal Arts building, athletics facilities, library, STEM buildings and the Career and Technical Education center while creating a dining hall and Student Union in place of the bookstore.
The last bond measure requested and approved by voters was Measure G in 2004, which provided $121 million for repairs, job training and campus safety improvements. The money from Measure G ran out in 2018 with its final project, renovating the Educational Development building which is not yet complete. The bond also provided funds to reconstruct the Campus Center, Vocational Arts building, Center for Innovation building and Student Services building.
Citrus College’s Measure Y page says that “annual independent financial and performance audits of how funds are spent and the formation of an independent Citizen’s Bond Oversight Committee,” will occur to provide accountability and oversight. None will be spent on administrators’ salaries or pensions.
Measure Y was designed by the Board of Trustees as part of a regional economic recovery plan. The school’s Measure Y page says it will create local jobs by “expanding training partnerships with local employers such as NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, also known as JPL; Toyota; Metropolitan Water District; and City of Hope hospital and research hospital.”
“In these challenging times, it was gratifying to see that our communities recognize the unique role of Citrus College in a local and regional economic recovery plan,” Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services Claudette Dain said in a July 22 news release.
