Bantillo became a bond oversight committee member in October 2003 because he was curious about how the money will be used toward school construction and demolition projects.

"I want to make sure this money is spent correctly and efficiently," said Bantillo, who is a city of San Jose commercial program manager for solid waste and recycling. "I think our committee has already done an absolutely wonderful job at making sure this happens."

Another reason Bantillo became involved with the oversight committee is because he has a vested interest in the outcome—three of his daughters attend Willow Glen schools. Two daughters attend Schallenberger Elementary School and the other daughter goes to Willow Glen Middle School.

He is also familiar with boards and committees after serving as the president for the site council at Schallenberger and on various local and national boards, such as the National Recycling Coalition and Construction and Demolition Council of the California Resource Recovery Association.

Bantillo said, "This summer, the bond is being used for numerous construction projects, and it's exciting to see our work coming to fruition."

Bantillo said it is the ongoing working relationship between the bond oversight committee and district administrators that's been instrumental in making sure the bond funding is being spent properly.

"We act as an independent group from the district, and our relationship with them isn't so cozy that we stop asking questions," he said. "We want to do the right thing and make sure they do it, too."

Bond oversight committee member Allen Rice, 58, agrees with Bantillo's belief that the committee should work independently of the district. He's served on the committee for two years, joining because he is also interested in seeing where the money is being spent.

He will begin his second term in July. In addition to five committee members who will begin a new term in July, 10 new members have been added.

"I don't have any concerns about the new members coming in," Rice said, who works as a technical writer. "We will get the work done."

Rice said the Measure F committee is a positive change that could be described as "night and day" from the former Measure C bond oversight committee. In March of 2004, the State Controller's Office stated the Measure C committee "did not effectively perform its oversight functions," after performing an audit of the committee during the period between June 1997 and June 2002.

"The district voluntarily appointed the Measure C committee, while Measure F has the weight of the law behind it," said Rice, referring to the Strict Accountability in Local School Construction Bonds Act of 2000. "Our style is different than the Measure C committee. We have already made significant contributions to the committee."

One contribution included using a "fine-toothed comb" over the Measure F Implementation Plan. The bond oversight committee asked district administrators in September 2003 to gather additional feedback from the community and school principals, which resulted in a revision of the timetable for some of the anticipated projects. These committee actions enabled the plan to finally get the nod of approval from the district's governing board in October 2003.

"We will continue to be effective, but it always depends on the willingness of the district to respond to our concerns," Rice said. "I'm doing this because I care about the California educational system and I believe schools should get the money they deserve."

San Jose Unified School District board trustee Carol Myers also hopes the new bond oversight committee will continue to be as effective as its predecessors.

"I'm very skeptical of the new group and the district's process of picking them," Myers said. "I think they were looking for 'yes' people. But I'm going to give the new group the benefit of the doubt. Our community deserves vigorous scrutiny over the way the bond money is spent."

When the bond was approved in 2002, the Measure F Citizens Bond Oversight Committee was created by the district board of trustees as required by the Strict Accountability in Local School Construction Bonds Act of 2000.

The act requires the committee to actively watch and report on the expenditure of taxpayers' money for school construction, while also alerting the public to any improper spending of school construction bond money.

Measure F's $429 million is funded through a San Jose parcel tax approved by voters in 2002 to repair aging campuses. The bond is estimated to cost property owners a maximum of $60 per $100,000 of the property's assessed value for about 30 years.

The next Measure F Citizens Bond Oversight Committee meeting is July 12 at 5:30 p.m. at the San Jose Unified School District office, 855 Lenzen Ave., room 337. Members of the public are welcome to attend.