LANCASTER – Citing the outdated classroom and student services areas, the Antelope Valley Community College District Board of Trustees voted unanimously June 13 to put a $350 million bond measure on the Nov. 8 general election ballot.
“With a bond, there is an opportunity to get a large share – we are talking about millions of dollars of state money – in addition to the bond money the community would put up,” board president Steve Buffalo said. “You have to let the community weigh in on it, and that’s what we are going to do. I think the community will say yes.”
Many of the classroom and student service facilities at AVC have not been updated in over 50 years. Academic facilities need safety upgrades, roof repairs and other improvements to meet modern job-training, technological and safety standards.
The district plans for the Lancaster campus include updates to campus infrastructure, construction of new academic commons, career and technical education facilities, a student services building, gymnasium renovations, three instructional buildings and a fine arts complex.
A local bond would qualify the district for millions in state-matching funds that would otherwise be lost to other communities in the state.
“The state has tied our hands as far as how we can improve the campus. At this point in time, our only option is a bond measure or let the college deteriorate,” board vice president Michael Adams said. “We want to have a state-of-the-art facility for our students. We need to provide a quality education and a quality environment.”
Currently, the district serves 18,000 students annually at the Lancaster campus, Fox Field, Palmdale Center and other locations throughout the 1,945 square mile service area.
“Our commitment is to the needs of the local community, students and returning veterans,” said Superintendent/President Ed Knudson. “Our educational facilities need upgrades to provide students with the 21st century skills required for jobs in aerospace, engineering, manufacturing,
health or other local industries.
The district will be opening a new facility at 2301 East Palmdale Boulevard. This space will include expanded classroom and lab facilities in addition to counseling, assessment and library resources. Construction will take place this summer and fall with a scheduled opening for spring of 2017.
The impact of the bond on homeowners would be $25 per $100,000 of assessed value (not market value). All funds would be spent in Antelope Valley and could not be taken away by the state. The Nov. 8 general obligation bond measure adheres to the guidelines of Proposition 39, which requires approval by 55 percent of the voters within the college district. It also includes accountability measures, including a citizens’ oversight committee and annual audits.
Public input is welcome. For more information on AVC and the bond measure, contact the AVC Office of Marketing and Public Information at 661-722-6300 ext. 6312.
[Information via news release from Antelope Valley College.]
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Vic says
Last time they built a football stadium with the money that was supposed to be for a Palmdale campus. What will it be this time? A new basketball gym? A hockey rink?
You fooled us once. You will not fool us again.
Fooled Again says
This does not have any benifit to South Valley at all. Bait and switch must end.
These trustees don’t care about anybody outside Lancaster, Hell no!!!
NO Vote says
At least 1/3rd of my property taxes is composed of bonds, landscaping, sewerage, street lights, etc. Why do people keep voting to pay more taxes? This has gotten way out of control! If you rent, I am sure your landlord will raise your rent to make up the difference. I have to budget in order to get the things I need or want. The college, city, schools, etc. should have to do the same.
Tim Scott says
What exactly are you thinking your property taxes are SUPPOSED to be? “At least one third” pays for…oh, hey, getting rid of your sewage. Well, you are certainly being taken advantage of there. Someone should be PAYING YOU for your sewage! Street lights? You just carry a flashlight at night, right? Hardly fair that you pay for those. Landscaping? I like the natural tumbleweeded desert look myself, so certainly not fair that you pay for landscaping.
Just out of curiosity, do you have any complaints about the OTHER two thirds?
Shane Falco says
Other two thirds should go to firefighter’s……
http://www.dailynews.com/government-and-politics/20160621/la-firefighters-can-earn-up-to-300k-a-year-in-overtime-study-says
Tim Scott says
Does go…yeah. Should go? Probably not. I think you guys should be paid from taxes levied on the people who live up on the hillsides and in the canyons where most of that overtime is earned. But those people’s needs for lofty mansions overlooking the lowlands have to be subsidized by taxing the people they look down on, since there are a lot more of them to spread the burden across.
Shane Falco says
The overtime and the fact that 75-80% of the calls are medical emergency calls. If you ever looked at a property tax bill you would see the 1997 bond to pay for infrastructure and for running EMS calls since the largest section of the medical calls are for uninsured.
You’d also know that the higher the value of your property, the more you pay on property tax. A home in a Santa Clarita gated community may 4-5 times as much as a person in an AV townhome while people in apartments aren’t paying anything.
Tim Scott says
Property owners who rent out property pass on their tax burden to the renters Shane. It’s a cost of doing business.
Why are you trying for sympathy about your gated enclave of pigs? I thought you were presenting it as a wonderland?
realitycheck says
How unusual….another lib “he has something I don’t have, and it’s not fair.” The creed of Bernie Sanders and the rest of the Dems. Timmy, I agree the large mansion owners should pay their fair share, however, who should pay the ghetto rats’ share when they call 911 unnecessarily, hoping for that free ride to the hospital, so they can clog up the emergency rooms? Or when they call the cops because baby daddy “beat them up” only to backpedal the next day and claim it never happened? I’m sure Shane knows the “regular customers” just as our local cops do, those who overuse emergency services, take, take, take without contributing anything to the system. Some will whine about first responders making extra money on overtime. As anyone with an ounce of business knowledge can verify, there are “x” amount of positions to be filled on a daily basis. You must have those positions staffed for your business to survive. If employees retire, get fired, etc, and you are not hiring new people to fill behind them, there is really just one way to continue filling the same amount of positions: overtime. Some are under the impression first responders say “I’m just going to stick around an extra 8 hours today and make overtime.” That’s not how it works.
No Vote says
I believe the 1% we have to pay on property taxes should be adequate. Shouldn’t our sales taxes and other taxes be used for street lights (remember we were told we would have our street lights turned off if we did not vote to pay extra?), landscaping, schools, etc.? I am saying that at least 1/3rd of my property taxes are add ons from bond measures etc. that people voted yes on.
Laughing says
Street lights are a waste of money.
Light pollution is blocking the view of the sky.
Light pollution alters sleep cycles.
Glare on windshields at night hinders safety, not increasing it.
The road lit ahead allows ‘clearer’ view of road and thus higher speeds which often lead to more severe accidents in neighborhoods.
How many people actually go walking at night? Last time I did I took a flashlight, of course I was on a dirt road with no lights.
Mcgee says
It will pass easily. So many renters in the AV with no skin in it.
Michael says
I cannot believe that were are about to be “Buffalloed and out Foxed, again!
As a property owner I am still paying for the Prop. R Bond!
We, tax payers, were outright lied, by the politicians involved and the backroom deals. Were is the Palmdale Campus that I thought that this bond issue money was going to be used?
Never again!
Yes! says
As a graduate and Palmdale resident, I’m voting YES! It’s Antelope Valley College, not Palmdale or Lancaster college. This us and them needs to stop. Besides, they are investing in Palmdale: http://www.twcnews.com/ca/antelope-valley/news/2016/06/17/construction-to-begin-on-new-avc-palmdale-center.html
Mike says
You’re new around these parts, I take it. History lesson – they’ve said these things before. In 2004 they floated Proposition R for $139 million, promising to use it to build a Palmdale campus. Where’s the Palmdale campus, you ask?
They lied. They spent it all on the Lancaster campus, including on a new football stadium.
We won’t be fooled again!
Pants on Fire says
They can’t be trusted. They are not using Measure R money for the new Palmdale campus. They lied to Palmdale and built a football stadium. No to the bond measure.
Jrsand. says
I agree they cheated us in Palmdale. I voted for last bond then they just keep the money in Lancaster. I always vote for schools but not this time. Fool me once not twice. Hell no.
Taxpayer says
How much you want to bet that they use the bond money for a new gym? Last time they redid the football field.
They’re not getting any more money from me. Vote NO.
William says
Same here.
No. No. No until they change direction.
Otherwise, they’ll do it again. They were rewarded in the past and they think that will happen again.
I do hope that any Cal state university locates in Palmdale if one is ever built in the Antelope Valley. Lancaster can have its for-profit diploma mills
I recently noticed a sign next to the 14 for the University of the Antelope Valley at the next exit. Was that sign paid for by Caltrans or what? It was an official looking green freeway sign.
Brenda hanson says
Do Palmdale residents not attended AV college Lancaster campus? I’m pretty sure they do and if you went to the college you would think it needs some major renovation
Bait and Switch says
Not again, the lancaster campus must need a new gym and or bowling alley. The board could have modernized all the classrooms on the last bond but NO they wanted a new stadium and theater and sports fields. Everything but modernizing the classrooms. We are being Buffaloed again!!!!!
David says
Absolutely not! Typical California, more taxes.
Ed says
Hell yes! I’m In!
Jason Zink says
AVC wants to give Palmdale a “Old Store Front Shopping Center College Campus” while Lancaster gets everything for their Campus. In my opinion AVC wasted $5 Million Cash of tax payer college bond money on 60 acres on Barrel Springs Rd & 25th East on the San Andres Fault Rupture Zone and hillside property (hillside because maybe of the fault ruptures?) I exposed this and they still bought it( I hope someone is enjoying the money on a beach somewhere drinking a Pina colada. Palmdale want’s its own real campus AVC or Hell No! Palmdale and the S/E Valley does not forget how the old College Board treated US!
Loam says
Heck No! Have we paid off the last bond yet? Why isn’t some of the tuition being put away to modernize the school? They spend all of their money on personnel and then expect that WE pay for new desks and fix roofs with bonds. I’m not responsible for their poor planning.
Laughing says
I wish they applied it to personnel! Truly laughing out loud!!!!
annette says
heck no!!!
Mike says
HELL NO! We still remember Proposition R where the college promised to build a Palmdale campus if a bond was passed, and instead spent it all on the Lancaster campus, including a new football stadium.
We won’t be fooled again by these bait and switch liars!
Kay says
Amen to that! I voted for that bond measure, which I thought would actually assist my community – and then they gave Palmdale the shaft. Bite me AVC.