At their July 29 meeting, the five board members unanimously approved a resolution ordering an election on Nov. 2 for the district's proposed $120 million school bond measure.

Superintendent Joe Rudnicki said that the district had identified $112 million worth of need while attending a joint school board meeting with two other local districts in March. Since then, the district has been investigating the possibility of a bond--which only requires a 55 percent majority to pass--with polling and board discussions.

Sunnyvale voters will also be weighing in on a parcel tax in the Fremont Union High School District. If both measures pass, property owners will be paying an additional $122 a year to cover the combined initiatives.

"I don't think any more needs to be said," said deputy superintendent Benjamin Picard at the meeting, who was filling in for the absent Rudnicki at the July 29 meeting.

Representatives from Tramutola Public Mobilization Strategies were on hand to discuss polling results, which they initially presented in June. The polls conducted showed that 72 percent of voters were likely to vote yes for a $120 million bond, which would add $24 per $100,000 of assessed value to property owners' tax bills a year.

Of that 72 percent, 67 percent said they would definitely vote yes, and 33 percent said they would probably vote yes.

Proceeds from the bond, if passed, will be used to replace utilities at school sites that are more than 40 years old, install heating and cooling systems, construct permanent classrooms to replace portables and enlarge school libraries. All of the district's schools are on the Bond Project List as sites to benefit from these improvements.

After the vote was held, board member Linda Kilian addressed the board as a member of the public to speak about the upcoming campaign. The Sunnyvale School District will be teaming up with Fremont Union and that district's effort to pass a parcel-tax measure on the November ballot. The two districts have already set up a joint campaign center at 1340 S. Mary Ave. and will hold a campaign kickoff on Sept. 1.

"We need money and volunteers," Kilian said. "Employees can't work on school time and equipment, but they can come down to campaign headquarters and pitch in."

The bond discussion followed a bleak report from Picard on lowered property-tax revenues. He said that the district hiring freeze will continue, and some school start times may require adjustment due to fewer school-bus drivers. The district is also looking at planned housing developments in downtown Sunnyvale with a wary eye due to continued overcrowding.

The district hopes that the bond will be a step in the right direction.