Funding the Future: The March 3 vote for Cabrillo’s 2020 bond measure

Last updated on March 6, 2020

Cabrillo College is asking taxpayers to raise $274.1 million to rebuild and renovate the science building, the library, the student services building, among other projects.

The school’s president Matt Wetstein says the school needs to fix outdated buildings to bring in more students and have a stronger science division.

Almost one third of the bond funds would be focused on the science building which Wetstein said is too small for the demand of the new century. 

“Every student has to go through the general education science course to complete an associates degree,” said Wetstein. “We are turning waitlisted students down due to a lack of space for them.”

The issue is on the March 3 ballot; the bond needs 55 percent approval from voters to pass. 

If passed, the bond would levy a districtwide property tax over the next 30 years of $19 per $100,000 of assessed property value. The average home in Santa Cruz County is valued at $869,000, leaving an average tax increase of about $165 per year.

The science building would be demolished and rebuilt with six labs, twice as many as it now  holds. We have a science building that, “was built before Neil Armstrong walked on the moon” in 1969, Wetstein said, quoting Robin McFarland, instructor of anatomy and physiology at Cabrillo. Renovations would also modernize the library and have more meeting and tutoring rooms, as well as tech upgrades. 

The aging and largely unused theater building will be heavily renovated to create one consolidated space for student services offices, including the Veterans Center, Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) and financial aid.

The bond would also create a police and firefighter training center in Watsonville that would help locals find jobs in their field. A smaller percent of the funds would modernize more classrooms and provide for emergency repairs throughout campus.

Wetstein emphasized the need for funding the library and Student Services buildings because, “It’s where everyone goes through for items like admissions, registration, orientation, advising, educational planning. These are high impact buildings, with a high volume of students.”

A similar bond asking for $310 million failed in 2016. Since then, Cabrillo officials worked to reduce the amount sought for the 2020 bond with hope of larger appeal, asking for $35.9 million less than its failed predecessor. The $275 million price point showed in a survey to have six percent more support, enough to tip the scales in 2020.

Opponents of the bond have noted the increased cost of living the bond will bring. It would affect not only property owners, but also renters, assuming landlords would pass the increase onto their tenants.

Opponents also say Cabrillo enrollment is decreasing and the bond money would not bring more students. There are concerns that the bond might be completely unnecessary.

“It’s a money grab,” said Ronald Kaplan, a Cabrillo student and Aptos property owner. “There are people in this business who will profit or benefit on their resume as achievement on their career trajectories.” Kaplan also pointed out, “We presently have two assessments on our tax bill for Cabrillo College from 1998 and 2004,”– previous bonds that will be paid into until  2024 and 2039 respectively.

Other opposition has also brought into question where the money from those bonds have gone and why Cabrillo did not budget for sufficient building maintenance.

The 2016 bond failed to pass by only 3 percent, highlighting the significance of just a few votes from the public. Voting on the issue will take place on March 3. 

Supporters argue that new modern buildings will bring in more students and provide them with skills they need to find jobs. 

“We need the bond to pass, because of the plethora of issues we are facing with buildings and some of the outdated technology we have at the school,” said Steve Stressler, head of the English Department.