Measure S is an investment in our students, our future

It is disheartening to witness the dissemination of misleading political literature by the Yuba County Republican Central Committee, particularly when it comes to crucial matters concerning our community’s education system. Measure S is not a RED or BLUE issue.

It’s about investing in our students and their education. In response to the misinformation presented in their recent flyers, it’s imperative to set the record straight on several key points:

1. Unsafe campuses: Contrary to the claims made, Marysville Joint Unified School District (MJUSD) has made significant investments, totaling millions, in enhancing security measures to ensure the safety of our students. Investments have been made in installing security fences and buzzers at most campuses in the district. Security cameras allow schools to monitor activities on campus and technology apps have improved communications with student families when there is an issue on campus that they need to be aware of. MJUSD’S campuses and students are safer than ever before in our history. Any assertion of unsafe campuses is unequivocally false and misleading.

2. The assertion that the district has funded trainings for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and transgender support is blatantly untrue. There have been no such expenditures made by MJUSD.

3. Financial mismanagement of $173-million annual budget: MJUSD is one of the largest employers in Yuba County. There has been no financial mismanagement, and the district is in good, responsible fiscal health. Test scores are on the rise due to their investments in education and curriculum programs and they’ve been able to invest more than $50 million in infrastructure and safety improvements, including the new 16-classroom building being constructed at Covillaud School, the full renovation that is underway at Foothill School, the improvements to the Lindhurst

High School track and stadium and the upcoming Marysville High School track and sports complex upgrades.

These projects were all funded without the use of bond dollars and would not have been possible without responsible fiscal management. Information on test scores is available by contacting MJUSD’S Educational Services Department at 530749-6159.

4. Overpaid executives – superintendent’s salary at $314,782: This figure is reflective of Dr. Fal Asrani’s salary and benefits package. MJUSD is one of Yuba County’s largest employers and Dr. Asrani is essentially the CEO. A well-educated CEO who is going to challenge norms and bring about tangible improvements isn’t cheap. You get what you pay for. Asrani is a trailblazer who is making great things happen for students in our district every day.

Addressing alleged hidden issues in the bond

1. No spending on site safety: False.

Each project that will be funded by bond dollars will include state-of-the-art safety features.

2. $7 million spent on Marysville’s track: This project is currently out to bid and construction will begin this summer. The district funded this project without bond dollars.

3. $5 million spent on the Lindhurst track: Construction is already well underway on this project and is not part of this bond measure. The district funded this project without the use of bond dollars.

4. $200,000 spent on marketing for measure: This is patently false. The only money spent on the bond measure were funds that were raised by the MJUSD Measure S Committee. There were no district monies spent on promoting bond measure marketing, only monies raised by the committee supporting the bond measure – MJUSD Measure S Committee.

5. No guaranteed project priorities: Another false claim! The district has been clear about its top priorities:

– Building a new middle school to alleviate overcrowding due to new housing developments. This school will be constructed at a site along Hammonton Smartsville Road that the district already owns. This site was purchased with 60% bond fees from a previous bond measure and 40% developer fees.

– Constructing a new gymnasium at Lindhurst High School. While Marysville High School enjoys two full gyms and a field house for sports, Lindhurst High School is growing and only has one gym, limiting athletic programming. As the school continues to grow, we must invest in a second gym to support our student athletes.

– Foothill School is the only middle school in the MJUSD family that does not have its own gymnasium. This limitation only hurts our student athletes during critical development years. With this bond, we will build a gymnasium at Foothill Intermediate School in Loma Rica, which is long overdue.

– Any remaining dollars

will be spent on arts and culture education and safety projects throughout the district.

Absolutely zero bond dollars can be spent on salaries.

We urge voters to base their decisions on accurate information and to support Measure S. Investing in our community’s youngest residents is paramount, and by voting yes on Measure S, we can ensure a brighter future for our

community’s youngest residents.

Mary Jane Griego is the owner of Duke’s Diner in Olivehurst and is a former Yuba County supervisor who served four terms.

She served on several commissions over her 16 years in office, including the Yuba Water Agency, the California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions Executive Board, the Sacramento Area

Council of Governments, the California Council of Governments, the

Feather River Air Quality Management District, the Yuba Local Agency Formation Commission, the First 5 Yuba Commission, and was the honorary vice chair of the Metro Chamber Capitol to Capitol (2016). She currently serves on the Olivehurst Public Utility District Board of Directors and the executive board for Ampla Health.