The Los Angeles Unified School District, the second-largest in the US, is asking local voters to approve the sale of $9 billion in school construction bonds Tuesday to modernize its aging facilities amid declining enrollment and city budget pressures.
The
If approved by 55% of voters in the Nov. 5 election, the funding would be repaid by increases in property taxes that would average about $25 for every $100,000 of assessed valuation on residential properties, according to a
The bond measure comes as the city faces a potential budget shortfall and as the
Advocates argue that revitalizing school infrastructure and educational services is essential to attract families back to the district, which serves a total of about 557,000 students, including areas such as adult education and charter schools.
Opponents are raising concerns about the effectiveness of public spending in the face of the fiscal challenges.
Meanwhile, the city and state are also asking voters to approve several other ballot measures that could raise the burden on taxpayers. Voters in Los Angeles will decide on a
There are also
More than 60% of LAUSD campuses are at least 50 years old, and schools across the district have more than $80 billion "of unfunded school facility and technology needs," according to a
The school's funding has steadily declined alongside enrollment, which has dropped from a high
LAUSD's 2024-2025 budget is $400 million less than the previous year's because funding is based largely on enrollment.
