Banning, Beaumont Voters Back School Bond Measures, Early Returns Show

BANNING, CA — Residents of Banning and Beaumont are voting in favor of school bond measures to upgrade public schools, early returns on Wednesday show.

As of 10:30 a.m., Beaumont's Measure E was pulling ahead in "yes" votes by 53%, while "no" votes trailed with about 47%. Meanwhile, Banning's similar Measure O was poised to pass, with 62.4% voting in favor and just 37.36% voting "no," according to the latest tallies.

However, both races were yet to be officially called as Riverside County continues to work through remaining ballots.

Voters in both cities were asked to weigh in on measures that, if passed, promise to rehab aging campus structures and enhance school safety. But of course, the measures came with a price tag in the form of higher property taxes.

In the Banning USD, Measure O was on the ballot. A "yes" vote supports authorizing the district to issue $74 million in bonds, requiring an estimated property tax levy below $51 per $100,000 of assessed value, to repair aging infrastructure and upgrade security systems.

In the Beaumont USD, Measure E was on the ballot. A "yes" vote supports authorizing the district to issue $148 million in bonds, requiring an estimated property tax levy of $28 per $100,000 of assessed value, to improve safety, repair roofs, and upgrade school facilities.

See live results below.

With both measures, a 55 percent supermajority vote is required to pass.

The Banning and Beaumont districts were not alone in asking voters to approve bond measures. According to an Oct. 4 article in EdSource, more than one in four California school districts asked local voters to approve similar measures.

As the article points out, unlike school districts’ operating money, which mostly comes from the state, school construction and repairs remain largely a local responsibility, paid for by bonds funded by property taxes.

Bonds are essentially loans that are paid back, usually over 25 or 30 years, with interest.

This election season, California school districts ramped up attempts to pass bond measures.
The reason 2024 was so relevant?: The districts that pass their measures will jockey for some of the $10 billion in matching state funding that Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature asked voters to approve by passing Proposition 2.

If passed, Prop. 2 authorizes $10 billion in general obligation bonds for repair, upgrade, and construction of facilities at K-12 public schools (including charter schools), community colleges, and career technical education programs, including for improvement of health and safety conditions and classroom upgrades.

The fiscal impact?: Increased state costs of about $500 million annually for 35 years to repay the bond, according to Prop. 2's language.

For Banning and Beaumont unified school districts, much is on the line.

Related article:

• Riverside County 2024 Election Results: See The Latest
• Here's How Election Results Are Being Released In Riverside County