Bonita Unified School District officials say the defeat of Measure A will likely delay major facility improvement projects across the district's 13 campuses.

Election results show voters in La Verne and San Dimas rejected the $256 million school facilities bond measure, which required 55% voter approval under California's Proposition 39 rules. Measure A received about 47% support, falling 7.69 percentage points short of passage. About 20,000 residents cast ballots.

The measure would have funded campus improvements including HVAC replacements, plumbing upgrades, school safety enhancements, modern science labs and additional facility space. Supporters argued the bond was needed to address aging infrastructure, while opponents cited affordability concerns and questioned whether the district had exhausted other funding options.

Some residents voiced those concerns during the campaign. At an April 6 La Verne City Council meeting, where council members approved a resolution supporting Measure A, La Verne resident Rick Bowen said he already pays about $1,300 annually in additional assessments and estimated the measure would add roughly $327 more per year to his property tax bill.

"I appreciate the fact that schools are great. I love the schools. Love the kids," Bowen said. "But my question is, just like I questioned when we did the water survey, what have they been doing with the money they have?"

La Verne resident Cynthia Tiner said she supports local students but opposed the measure because of what she described as financial mismanagement.

"I'm really tired of being asked over and over again for more money for something that we've already been asked to pay," Tiner said. "I don't support the adults that are mismanaging this money."

In a statement emailed to La Verne Daily News, the district thanked staff, parents and community members who supported the campaign and said, "Bonita Unified will continue providing a world-class education and will continue preparing our students to live their purpose."

In an email sent to La Verne Daily News before the election, Board President Derek Bahmanou said the district would continue to perform basic maintenance but would likely be forced to postpone larger projects. He pointed to aging HVAC systems at Lone Hill Middle School, where asbestos insulation must be removed before the system can be replaced.

"If the bond does not pass we will continue to do the basic maintenance that we can afford," Bahmanou said. "We would continue to ignore these big deferred maintenance projects until we can find the revenue to solve these challenges."

Board member Jim Elliot said delaying major infrastructure projects could increase future costs as facilities continue to age. He said the district sets aside about 3% of its budget for facilities maintenance, which he argued is insufficient to replace HVAC and plumbing systems districtwide or construct new science classrooms.

District leaders indicated another bond measure could eventually return to voters. Elliot suggested a future measure could appear on a higher-turnout ballot, potentially during the 2028 presidential election cycle.

Board member Brittany Allison agreed, saying the district's general fund cannot absorb facility repairs on the scale identified in Measure A and that some form of voter-approved funding will likely be necessary in the future.

Allison also said that improving community engagement and providing more accessible information to residents remain among her priorities moving forward. She said transparency and public trust will be critical if the district seeks voter support for future funding measures.

"I can only hope that we are able to develop a plan in the future that has the support of the community and can also meet the real needs of our school sites," Allison said.