Santa Barbara City College’s Measure P general obligation bond was passing Tuesday night with 64.3% of the vote, according to the Santa Barbara County Elections Office.
The ballot item asked voters to extend the Measure V general obligation bond, which was passed by voters in 2008.
The measure would extend the Measure V bond, which was set to end in 2040. The bond authority and tax rate would last until 2061 and raise $198 million in funds for SBCC.
Measure P needs 55% voter approval to pass and the updated count at midnight showed the measure well over that.
“Measure P has a strong showing so far,” SBCC Board of Trustees President Jonathan Abboud said on election night. “We’re very encouraged by where it’s looking and we’re hoping to see the rest of the results. But it’s looking good and we’re appreciative of the voters for supporting us so far.”
The SBCC Board of Trustees placed Measure P on the ballot in June in a 5-2 vote. The measure was supported by most of the board and the SBCC President/Superintendent Erika Endrijonas.
According to Endrijonas, the reason for the extension of Measure V was to avoid asking for a new bond and a new tax for residents. Instead, Measure P was designed to extend the current one at its original rate.
Supporters said the bond funding would allow the school to modernize classrooms, update buildings that are not seismically safe, and fund new buildings on campus.
Another motivating factor for SBCC were state matching funds to complete certain construction projects, such as rebuilding its physical education building.
In the past, SBCC has failed to raise the money to complete projects, forcing the school to return state funds, according to Endrijonas.
If Measure P does not pass, SBCC may have to return matching funds.
Opponents of the measure argued that it was another tax at a time when residents could not afford it.
In the weeks leading up to the election, opponents said SBCC’s leadership could not be trusted to responsibly spend the bond money, and that residents have paid enough already.
One of the most prominent opponents of the measure was SBCC Trustee Marsha Croninger, who voted against placing Measure P on the ballot and submitted editorials urging voters not to support it.
The Elections Office will be updating election night results for several hours before releasing semi-official results. Those results will be updated as more ballots are counted in the upcoming days and weeks. The county will certify election results on Dec. 3.
Check back with Noozhawk for updates to this story.
