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Published on 11/10/1999 All articles from this issue

Foothill-De Anza facilities to benefit from passage of $248 million bond

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Town Crier Staff Report

Results from the Nov. 2 election will mean massive improvements and expansion for the Foothill-De Anza Community College District.

Voters overwhelmingly approved the passage of Measure E, a $248 million bond for the renovation of the district's two campuses, Foothill College in Los Altos Hills and De Anza College in Cupertino.

Measure E passed with 72 percent of the majority vote, or 34,549 votes, according to the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters. Of the district's 183,999 registered voters, 50,498 or 27.4 percent voted.

Approximately 13,425 or 28 percent voted against the bond. The bond needed a two-thirds majority vote to pass.

"We are grateful for the confidence our community has placed in us," said Chancellor Leo E. Chavez.

The passage of Measure E will allow the district to renovate its 42-year-old Foothill campus and 32-year-old De Anza campus. School officials say that the campuses have fallen into disrepair from years of use and inadequate state funding for maintenance.

The campuses were designed to serve 13,000 students. Today, enrollment is approximately 40,000 and continues to increase.

Officials said the lack of available instructional space has caused serious problems in responding to the growing demand for classes.

Funds from Measure E will be used to repair and expand facilities at both campuses and will allow the district to provide more classrooms and upgrade its science and computer labs to keep pace with advances in technology.

Chavez said the bond will also enable the district to apply for more annual state matching funds, getting as much as $3 for every $1. The bond will cost the approximately 200,000 district taxpayers living in Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Palo Alto and part of Saratoga and San Jose, approximately $14 per $100,000 in assessed valuation. The $248 million in bonds will be issued over a 10-year period.