A Riverside group sued the city’s school district July 14 for planning to use voter-approved funds in the construction of two new schools.
Riversiders Against Increased Taxes argues that construction was not within the approved list of projects for Measure O.
The 2016 measure caused the school district to raise $392 million through bond sales. It was passed with 70% of 81,411 votes.
The question on the ballot said:
“To repair and upgrade Riverside schools, including deteriorating roofs, plumbing and electrical systems, improve student safety, security, and seismic safety, upgrade classrooms, science labs, career-training facilities, computer systems and instructional technology to support student achievement in math, science, engineering and skilled trades, and construct, acquire, repair classrooms, sites, facilities and equipment, shall Riverside Unified School District issue $392 million in bonds at legal rates, with citizen oversight, no money for administrator salaries, all money staying local.”
The RAIT complaint says that the project list for Measure O includes only school repair and upgrade projects, safety, security and energy efficiency projects, and districtwide instructional technology projects.
“RUSD’s bait-and-switch—promising to repair existing schools then using funds earmarked for that purpose for something else—deprives RUSD taxpayers and students of the benefits they were promised,” the complaint says.
RUSD said by email that they may offer us a comment after they have had time to fact check.
The Casa Blanca Neighborhood School and the Eastside Neighborhood School would take up $115 million, or 29%, of the total $392 million provided by the bond, the complaint says.
The text of the measure also says: “In addition to the projects listed above, the repair and renovation of each of the existing school facilities may include, but not be limited to, some or all of the following: renovate student and staff restrooms…acquire land, construct new schools…”
Casa Blanca and Eastside were announced to be in planning or design, using bond funds, in a 2020 report.
Casa Blanca is announced to be at 7351 Lincoln Ave., between Villegas Park and the SSgt. Salvador J. Lara Casa Blanca Library. A Casa Blanca Elementary school was in the community from 1913 to 1967, according to an RUSD announcement. It was closed after students were bused out of the neighborhood for the purpose of school integration.
The Eastside Neighborhood School would provide transitional kindergarten to sixth grade education by the intersection of Victoria Ave. and 14th Street. Thirteen thousand students currently live in the Eastside neighborhood and attend five surrounding schools, according to a California Environmental Quality Act document.
The school district is also in the early stages of planning the Highgrove II Neighborhood School, with the intent to use Measure O funding, the complaint says.
RAIT previously sued Riverside over the transfer of $40 million in annual revenue from the city’s electricity rates to city services. They won the case, which has since been appealed.
Chad Morgan of the Law Office of Chad Morgan represents RAIT.
Counsel for the RUSD is not yet announced.
Case No. CVRI2303571
Read the complaint and the full text of Measure O here.
