California voters reject $15 billion bond for school repairs

California voters have rejected a proposition to sell $15 billion in bonds to fund repairs and upgrades to aging school buildings.

The results deal a defeat to Gov. Gavin Newsom, education organizations and developers who funded the measure.

Results reported by The Associated Press on Wednesday show the measure failing by 8 percentage points, with just 46 percent of voters supporting the measure, which appeared on California primary ballots as Proposition 13.

Supporters reported raising more than $12 million to support the measure, according to campaign finance disclosures filed with the Secretary of State’s office. They argued California schools needed the bond funding to build new classrooms, upgrade existing buildings and eliminate lead and asbestos from buildings.

In a statement on Wednesday, the campaign manager for the effort to pass the bond measure conceded defeat.

“We thank all those across our state who came together to support stronger, safer school buildings for the next generation,” Jim DeBoo wrote in a statement on Twitter. “Based on current vote totals, it appears Proposition 13 will fall short of the required 50% threshold. Nevertheless, safe and adequate facilities for California’s schoolchildren remain an urgent priority, and we recommit ourselves to meeting that challenge.”

Opponents did not spend much money fighting the proposal.

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association reported spending $250,000 on statewide radio ads urging voters to reject it, said Jon Coupal, the group’s president. Opponents argued the state should not fund school repairs using bond funding, which would require the state to make interest payments.

The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office predicted that the state would pay $26 billion over 35 years to cover the bonds.

This story was originally published March 11, 2020 at 12:00 PM.