What is Measure C?
Measure C will provide dedicated, locally controlled funding to repair and update Summerville Elementary and its facilities to meet current safety and academic standards. All funds generated by Measure C must be used to improve and support Summerville Elementary School.
How is Summerville Elementary School doing?
Summerville Elementary School serves approximately 500 students in TK/Kindergarten through eighth grade and provides exceptional educational support in a nurturing and community-based environment. While we are proud of the high-quality education at Summerville Elementary, our facilities are aging and need repairs and updates.
Why do we need Measure C?
The original school building was built in 1963, with additions gradually added over the six decades that followed. Given its age, the school campus reflects an educational era very different from today’s academic and safety standards. Fundamental repairs and upgrades are now needed to ensure our school can continue to offer an outstanding educational environment for current students and generations to come.
Improvements to our aging facilities are needed to support quality education and ensure clean, safe classrooms for students. Leaky roofs and deteriorating heating and cooling systems must be repaired, along with improvements to fire safety systems and alarms. Additionally, aging plumbing, sewer, and electric lines require repair and updating to keep the school running safely and reliably.
How will voting Yes on Measure C improve Summerville Elementary?
Voting Yes on C will:
- Support quality education
- Provide clean and safe classrooms
- Repair leaky roofs and deteriorating heating and cooling systems
- Upgrade fire safety systems and alarms
- Repair and update aging plumbing, sewer and electric lines
How do we know Measure C funds will be spent wisely?
Measure C includes strict mandatory accountability requirements, including:
- All money raised by Measure C will stay local to support students at Summerville Elementary School and cannot be taken by the State
- By law, no funds could be used for teachers’ or administrators’ salaries
- Measure C requires a detailed project list, an Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee, and mandatory annual audits to ensure the money is spent as promised
Will Measure C funds be used for administrator salaries and pensions?
No. By law, no funds from Measure C may be used for operating expenses, including administrator salaries and pensions. Funds may only be used to repair and upgrade Summerville Elementary School.
Does the District have a detailed plan for the use of funds from Measure C?
Yes, Summerville Elementary leadership worked with parents, teachers, and staff to carefully assess the condition of school facilities. The school board has approved a detailed Facilities Master Plan that identifies the specific projects with cost estimates that would be completed if Measure C is approved by local voters.
Is Measure C the only way to update our Summerville Elementary?
The State has been an unreliable partner in funding basic school operations and provides very limited funding for facilities improvements. The district has very few options when it comes to making the necessary renovations and upgrades to keep pace with safety and academic standards.
I don’t have children attending our local school. How will Measure C impact me?
Whether or not you have school-age children, supporting our local school is a wise investment that improves our property values and local quality of life.
Has Summerville Elementary previously passed a school improvement bond measure?
No. Summerville Elementary has not asked for community support through a local bond measure. In recent years, neighboring school districts have passed bond measures to improve local schools.
Are senior exemptions available?
By state law, no exemptions may be provided for bond measures. However, the total cost of bond measures is based on the assessed value of a home, not the market value. The longer a home has been owned, the lower the assessed value because it is based on the original purchase price. Typically, older homeowners who have owned their homes the longest pay the least for bond measures.
Who gets to vote on Measure C? How many votes are needed to win?
All registered voters residing within the Summerville Elementary School District are eligible to vote on Measure C. To be approved, a bond measure requires “YES” votes from 55% of the votes cast on the measure.
When can I vote YES on Measure C?
Measure C will be on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Whether or not you normally vote at the polls, all registered voters living in Tuolumne County will be mailed a ballot the week of October 5. Once you receive your ballot, vote YES on C, sign and seal the envelope, and mail it back right away. No postage is required. Mail ballots must be postmarked by November 3, 2026.
How can I register to vote or learn more about voting?
You can register to vote at www.registertovote.ca.gov. To find out more about voting in this election, please contact the Tuolumne County Registrar of Voters at (209) 533-5570 or visit https://www.tuolumnecounty.ca.gov/194/Election-Information
How can I get involved or learn more about Measure C?
Our campaign is a grassroots organization of parents and other community leaders dedicated to passing Measure C for local students and our community. Some ways you can help pass Measure C include volunteering some time to spread the word about Measure C, displaying a Yes on C lawn sign at your home or adding your name to our list of Measure C supporters!
