Here’s what Gov. Gavin Newsom raised money for this election cycle
Gov. Gavin Newsom has raised over $10 million to support a ballot measure that asks voters to approve $15 billion in bond funding to renovate aging schools, campaign finance records show.
Supporters say schools need the money to repair old buildings. The measure designates $9 billion for preschool through high school and $2 billion each for the University of California, California State University and community colleges.
In total, six committees have reported raising money to support the measure. One is Newsom’s, another is controlled by Assemblyman Patrick O’Donnell, D-Long Beach, who led the effort in the Legislature to put the measure on the ballot. The other four committees are handing over the vast majority of the money they raise to Newsom’s committee, which is paying for campaign advertisements for the measure.
Of the $12.3 million raised in total, $10.2 million has gone to Newsom’s effort.
The biggest donors include the California Building Industry Association, which contributed $1.5 million, mostly from developers. The California Teachers Association contributed $1 million, Service Employees International Union gave half a million dollars and the California Charter Schools Association kicked in more than $400,000.
Various labor unions representing professions connected with the building industry, such as carpenters, construction workers and electricians, also contributed.
Other donors include Netflix founder Reed Hastings, Gap founder Doris Fisher, health insurance company Blue Shield of California, and Pacific Gas and Electric Co, which contributed $60,000.
The measure is the only statewide proposition California voters will see on their March primary ballots. It appears on ballots as “Proposition 13” — not to be confused with the 1978 property tax measure with the same name that a separate November ballot measure campaign is trying to alter.
Lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to place it on the ballot, although some Republicans criticized the concept of using bonds, which will require interest payments.
Paying for repairs through bond funding would allow the state to access the money quickly and pay it back over time with interest. The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office projects that the money will be paid back over 35 years and will ultimately cost the state $26 billion.
The measure also contains a provision that makes it easier for housing developers to build apartments within half a mile of public transit, CalMatters reported last month.
No opposition groups have filed with the Secretary of State or reported raising any money.
The latest polling from the Public Policy Institute of California found 51 percent of likely voters say they support the measure.