On September 10, 2019 our Vista City Council will meet. Deputy Mayor John Franklin and Councilmember Joe Green have co-sponsored a potential resolution opposing the VUSD Board Of Trustees upcoming vote to allocate all or a portion of $247 million dollars of bond funds to a potential Project Labor Agreement or PLA. This type of agreement closes off the competitive bid process and inevitably could cost taxpayers over $20 million dollars in uncompleted projects. Vista taxpayers overwhelmingly passed a bond to improve our schools. The bond specifically stated the Board had no intention of entering into a PLA. If this decision is made by the VUSD governing board, several projects, voters thought would happen, will not.
Councilmember Joe Green said, “This is about our children, their children, and the quality of education in Vista for years to come. Why should Vista school facilities be the worst in the county. If this board misappropriates these funds, Vista citizens should never pass a bond measure for the district again. Citizens were promised that years of deferred maintenance and necessary upgrades would be completed at their schools with these bond funds.”
Thursday, September 5, 2019, the Vista Chamber Of Commerce Executive Board passed a similar resolution opposing the school boards approval of a PLA. It was stated that it could cost $20 million dollars in proposed projects that would not be completed if the board passed this. Business owners in Vista do not think this plan is what’s best for our children either.
