Bond measures to benefit contractors, not pupils

I am a resident and taxpayer in Fallbrook. Vote no on Bonsall and Fallbrook Measures DD & AA. They add new taxes to every parcel of property that will last for decades. They're designed for contractor profits instead of pupils.

Fallbrook and Bonsall refused to include language in these measures to guarantee that students and taxpayers are getting the most for their bond money. Instead Bonsall and Fallbrook can hand no-bid contracts to favored companies.

The campaign to pass Measures DD & AA is funded by Erickson Hall Construction Company, which has previously received millions in no bid contracts from Bonsall and must hope to receive more lucrative contracts if Measures DD & AA pass.

Read Voice of San Diego's Feb. 19, 2013 investigation "On Local School Bonds, Big Donors Often Win Big Contracts" to learn more about this kind of pay to play arrangement.

I am not against all school bonds and have supported those that contain proper internal controls to prevent waste and encourage good value for students and taxpayers. Measures DD & AA lack such controls.

They do not require competitive bidding and they lack a specific prioritized list of projects with an estimated cost for each and a commitment to build the proposed projects in a promised prioritized order. This tricks voters into thinking certain things will be built and instead allows pet projects.

Their proposed project list is so generic they can almost build anything they want. Vote no. Tell them to do better.

Michael Cornelius