Rebuttal to Argument Against Measure R

Cabrillo College is a jewel for our community, but aging classrooms and inadequate labs hold our students back. Lack of space and outdated technology force students to take longer to graduate and achieve their dreams. Measure R will fix that.

Many students earn their degree affordably by attending Cabrillo before transferring to a four-year university. Measure R will bring Cabrillo into the 21^st century, maximizing access for students by allowing the college to upgrade classrooms and better prepare students for transfer degrees and modern careers.

Funds from Measure R will also allow us to develop a public safety training center in Watsonville so we won’t have to send our police and fire cadets outside our county to get the instruction they need. This will help local fire departments and law enforcement agencies save on critical training costs.

Always building on our successes, Cabrillo will make sure its educational bond dollars are spent on classrooms, labs and campus improvements. Meanwhile, Cabrillo partners with the County and Second Harvest Food Bank to provide ground-breaking emergency housing and food assistance to struggling students. And, student and staff housing will be considered by the college’s governing board using future public-private partnerships.

Cabrillo’s board has always been a responsible steward of tax dollars. Regular audits and citizens oversight ensure that bond funding is in line with ballot measures’ published spending plans. The college recently refinanced old bond debt, consolidating it into one line on next year’s tax bill – saving local taxpayers $29.5 million.

 Vote yes on Measure R!

Michael Watkins
Retired

Leticia Mendoza
Board Chair

Edward K. Banks
Board Member

Donna Ziel
Board Member

Matthew E. Wetstein
President, Cabrillo College