Below is an excellent e-mail Tim Whitacre sent out last week to a group of Santa Ana residents explaining why we should oppose Measure G. I thought it was worth posting here:

Like a bad dream, “They’re baaaack”…same theme, same tactics, and similar cast of characters.

Before you vote yes on Measure G, ask yourself this: “Do I really want to be responsible for approximately THREE-QUARTERS OF A BILLION DOLLARS in unfunded debt that my Children and Grandchildren will have to pay for?”

Simply put, a Bond is a self-imposed tax. Voters willfully and unknowingly put themselves in “Bondage” for a long period of time to pay back the initial amount of the Bond plus all of the interest that accrues. Usually, the amount repaid is triple the amount you vote for on the ballot.

Taxes, like death, are color blind. They adversely affect everyone regardless of their ability to pay. A Bond is the worst kind of tax and should only be used as a last resort once every other option has been explored and applied to the problem. Clearly, this isn’t the case with SAUSD which is why we should not even consider a Bond at this time.

Measure G is nothing more than son of Measure C. Once again, those hardest hit by passage of this tax scheme (that’s truly what most Bonds are) are those who can least afford to pay: The poor and the elderly on fixed income. Because like C, G will be apportioned out according to property owners; apartment owners and commercial building owners will be hit the hardest with the biggest tax bills. They of course will pass on that increase in higher rents and higher costs of goods and services to the residents, so the TRUE COST of a Bond is much greater than what’s disclosed to the voters in the voting material. The financial implications are HUGE for decades to come.

I was the lone, vocal opponent to Measure C and advocated against at it at great personal costs. I was proven right about what would happen if it passed – and it did – we were duped; sold a bill of goods; we bought into “But it’s for the Children” mantra. Measure C was unnecessary, excessive and grossly mismanaged by an incompetent school board. I am concerned with more important things in my life at the moment so I couldn’t take an active stand against Measure G. However, I want to strongly encourage everyone receiving this reply to Glenn and Julie Stroud’s e-mail to staunchly OPPOSE Measure G. It is every bit as bad as Measure C.

A lot of the same “powers that be” who endorsed and rammed Measure C down our throats are behind Measure G. Even after admitting Measure C was a failure and a bad idea, they’re at it again. Allowing an elected body to pass a Bond is giving them a way out the back door from being accountable to the voters for their actions. Force the Board of Trustees to roll up their sleeves, put their petty differences aside and make the tough decisions necessary to put SAUSD back on a fiscally prudent and responsible track. We have to do it every month with our own finances - so should they with OUR tax dollars.

Look what we got with Measure C…that’s exactly what we’ll get with Measure G…we have a similar Board; we’ll have similar results…

The honest truth is we don’t need a Bond to fix what’s wrong with SAUSD. Whether or not you have children in the schools, this Bond will adversely affect you. The best, quickest fix we can make to SAUSD and our City is to vote for three qualified fellow residents in November to replace any of the current School Board Trustees up for re-election who are shoving Measure G down our throats with the help of outside special interest groups.

Haven’t we had enough of this? Haven’t we learned our lesson with Measure C?

There is no formal opposition to Measure G, this is it. It’s up to us to pass the word and hold the line against incumbency protection, cronyism and outside special interest groups meddling with our schools for the sole reason of big financial gains through the backroom deals made with our Elected Officials.

Truly, “For the Children; because of the Children,” vote NO on Measure G. DO NOT put this financial burden on their backs. We might pass it, but it’s the next generation or two who will pay for our mistakes because that’s how long it will take to pay off both Measure C AND Measure G. Buying into this regurgitated tax scheme and passing both Measure C and Measure G, will saddle the residents of Santa Ana with approximately THREE-QUARTERS OF A BILLION DOLLARS in debt after paying back the interest on this self-imposed tax. Now do you see why it’s called a Bond (Bondage)?

If we all do something right now, we can stop another train wreck from happening. The proponents are hoping we’re too apathetic; too busy; too pre-occupied with other things to do anything about this. They’re wringing their hands and laughing amongst themselves about how easily it appears to manipulate us. Are they right?

IT’S URGENT YOU TELL ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS TO VOTE NO ON MEASURE G. If you’ve already voted “yes” by absentee ballot, you can negate that vote by voting in person either at the Registrar of Voters office or at your local polling booth. It really IS THAT IMPORTANT.

Semper Fi,

Tim Whitacre

PLEASE FORWARD THIS E-MAIL TO/CALL FIVE (5) SANTA ANA VOTERS YOU KNOW AND TELL THEM TO VOTE “NO” ON MEASURE G.

NO on Measure G!!!