Yorba Linda voters don't react favorably to bond measure elections on statewide or local ballots

Yorba Linda's voting population rarely reacts favorably to statewide bond propositions.

In fact, all six bond measures on the 2016 and 2018 primary and general election ballots were turned down by Yorba Linda's voters, including those residing in the Country Club and Fairlynn county islands.

All but one of the measures passed statewide, but just two passed muster with Orange County's voters. The propositions sought nearly $30 billion in bonded debt for the state.

The measures dealt with selling long-term bonds for school facilities, childrens hospital construction, housing assistance for veterans and mentally ill individuals, water-related infrastructure and natural resources-related programs for parks and habitat conservation.

One of Yorba Linda's largest “no” votes on a bond proposition came on the measure to allot $4.1 billion for natural resources-related programs, Proposition 68 in the June 2018 election. The city and county islands vote was 65% against the measure.

However, the statewide count was 57.6% in favor of the measure, so it's possible Yorba Linda could benefit from some of the funds that will be realized after the bonds are sold to investors.

The City Council on Oct. 15 approved a resolution for filing an application for funds for projects under a section of Proposition 68 that will provide per capita grants to government jurisdictions.

The money will come from $185 million set aside for “local park rehabilitation, creation and improvement grants on a per capita basis” of the total $4.1 billion that was approved in the Proposition 68 vote, according to guidelines issued to applicant cities by a state agency.

Each applicant's dollar amount will be determined by a formula that's based on city, county and state population figures, but each city will receive a minimum grant award of $200,000.

Since Yorba Linda doesn't meet the state's “disadvantage community criteria,” the city will be required to contribute a 20% match. Matching sources can be from federal funds, local city funds, in-house employee services, private funds and volunteer labor, according to officials.

“Grant recipients are encouraged to utilize awards to rehabilitate existing infrastructure and to address deficiencies in neighborhoods lacking access to the outdoors,” the state report noted. The city will be notified of funding by March 2020, and projects must be completed by Dec. 31, 2021.

The lack of enthusiasm for bond measures by Yorba Linda's voters has even included the two most recent elections for local school bonds, which require 55% approval for passage.

The 2014 North Orange County Community College District $574 million bond and the 2008 Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District $200 million bond propositions failed to reach the 55% level in Yorba Linda and county islands, but both measures passed because of the higher margins won in other cities within the districts' boundaries.