Fresno Unified School Board President Susan Wittrup provided GV Wire with 24 questions she wants the district’s administrative leaders to answer before trustees vote on the $500 Million Measure H project list at Wednesday’s board meeting. Measure H is on the Nov. 5 ballot.

1. Why is this project list coming to the board for approval after ballots have already arrived in the homes of voters, and how did the public participate in its development, and subsequent revisions?

2. Why is the bond measure coming to voters before a permanent superintendent is hired? Does doing so create a public perception that the interim superintendent may be allocating bond funds into certain trustee regions to secure the permanent superintendent position by catering to a simple majority of the board?

3. Why wasn’t a community bond committee formed to provide input for the project list?

4. What was the interim superintendent’s process for prioritizing projects?

5. What was the interim superintendent’s process for revising the project list? How many revisions have been made to the original project list? Do the revisions to the project list reflect the interim superintendent’s best, professional recommendation for students and families, or was it dictated by board majority? If the project list reflects the interim superintendent’s professional recommendation, why does it keep changing?

6. Why hasn’t there been opportunities for public participation and discussion with each revision? (Item C-12 is on the Consent Agenda)

7. Why should taxpayers entrust Fresno Unified with more tax dollars when student performance is so poor?

8. In the Fresno Bee article that came out on Sunday, it stated that there are aging elementary schools in danger of complete failure that could potentially leave up to 800 students without a neighborhood school. If that is true, why did the district recently construct the brand-new Farber campus, and why is the district currently renovating the superintendent’s office and board room?

9. Why is $27 million going towards administrative (adult) spaces, including at the brand-new Farber facility? Why are adult spaces prioritized over student spaces when there is so much unaddressed need at schools and in classrooms?

10. Why are brand new Career Technical Education facilities prioritized over existing schools in poor condition that are not on the project list?

11. For the most recent revision (dropping $15 million for the Aviation Academy) off the project list, how did you find an additional $15 million last week to fund the Aviation Academy amidst more expected budget cuts? Where did that $15 million come from, and why wasn’t it already earmarked to fund the Aviation Academy?

12. Why is there no supporting argument for Measure H on the ballot, and only a statement opposing Measure H? Isn’t it customary for the district to facilitate a statement of support from community members? Why was this missed?

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13. How will you communicate to voters which projects they can expect at their neighborhood schools — especially at this late date when people are already voting?

14. Is there a timeline for when taxpayers can expect each project to be started, or which order the projects will follow?

15. Why is the district collaborating with Fresno Teachers Association for 33% ($165 million) of potential bond funds? Why does the teacher’s union have more say in how bond funds will be used than the taxpayers who are paying for it?

16. If this project list is approved and the bond measure passes, can the board still vote down certain projects on the approved project list later? How can taxpayers trust the projects on the list will be approved by a majority of the board when the time comes?

17. What is the specific plan for repairing facilities that are in poor condition and are not included on the project list?

18. How much will Measure H impact property taxes annually and for how long? For a home valued at $300,000, what is the current annual tax rate, and how much will it increase (annually) if Measure H passes?

19. If Measure H passes, the tax rate increase will be the highest we’ve ever seen in Fresno, and the surrounding area. True or False?

20. What is the “Equity Tool”? What method did the interim superintendent use to define and apply “equity” as it relates to the project list? What evidence drove your decision-making? Is the Equity Tool applied solely to brand new construction, or was it also used to determine which schools receive necessary repairs and deferred maintenance?

21. How much money did the district pay the consultants who developed the Equity Tool, and how was it used to determine which projects would be prioritized? What is the full name and address of the consulting firm?

22. Who is your bond consultant (and address), how much are you paying them and what is their role? Were there any other paid consultants used for the bond; what was their role and how much were their contracts? Please include contact information for each.

23. Is the $50 million allotted for deferred maintenance enough, and why are those projects not identified on this list?

24. Is there a strategic plan in place to obtain Proposition 2 ($10 billion for California school facilities) funds if it passes? Both bond measures (Measure H and Prop. 2) are on this ballot. Some districts (i.e., Los Angeles Unified) are already on a waiting list for Prop 2. funds. Is FUSD positioned to aggressively go after Prop. 2 funds — given the impending failure of our school facilities? How will the district utilize both Measure H and Prop. 2 to obtain all available bond funds for dilapidated FUSD facilities? If strategic planning has already occurred, please provide a timeline showing month by month over the past year, the planning and actions taken to make the best use of both of these bond measures.