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Declining school facilities affect all taxpayers Does anyone think the decline of school facilities in Mission Viejo is acceptable? Mission Viejo is a cash cow for Capistrano Unified School District, but some of our schools are overcrowded and neglected. Our city contributes to CUSD in the form of property tax, Mello-Roos, Measure A tax, and money from the city’s Redevelopment Agency. The portion Mission Viejo gets back from the district is neither fair nor adequate. With all the taxes, plus the Redevelopment money and funds parents raise, Mission Viejo schools should be the best in the district. As an example of the problems, 1,800 students attend Newhart Middle School, with some bused in from San Juan Capistrano. Newhart has 19 permanent classrooms and 53 portable classrooms. Newhart received only $720.00 of the $65 million Measure A bond fund, which our residents pay into. Mission Viejo is being bypassed again with more than $12 million of Measure A dollars going to one school in Rancho Santa Margarita. Their residents don’t pay into the tax fund. Newhart was bypassed on a technicality that was questionable at best. Our city council will discuss an agenda item on April 3 to apply pressure on CUSD to spend more on Mission Viejo schools. Declining and overcrowded school facilities affect quality of life, real estate prices and traffic problems. Considering that the district continues to ignore the pleas of parents, the city should act on behalf of all Mission Viejo taxpayers. Connie Lee |
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