Measure G-26: Investing in Our Kids and Our Community

Paso Robles voters heading into the November 3 election face one of the most consequential local questions on their ballots: whether to approve Measure G-26, a $205 million school facilities bond that would fund the first phase of the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District's long-range building plan.

The campaign comes at a moment of demonstrably improved district finances. According to a message from the Yes on Measure G-26 campaign published by the Paso Robles Daily News, Moody's Ratings recently upgraded the district's general obligation bond rating to Aa2 — two notches above its 2018 low of A1 — and raised the district's overall credit rating to Aa3. Moody's is an independent agency with no stake in the election, a point supporters are emphasizing as they make the case that the district can be trusted with a major capital investment.

A Financial Turnaround, Independently Verified

The numbers behind the upgrade are striking. In fiscal year 2018, the district's available operating reserves stood below 5% of annual revenue, according to the campaign's release. By fiscal year 2025, that figure had grown to 37%. Moody's attributed the improvement to stronger financial controls, conservative budgeting, and fiscal discipline.

For taxpayers, the practical effect of a stronger credit rating is lower borrowing costs. When the district issues bonds, a higher rating typically means lower interest payments — which means more bond dollars go toward classrooms, roofs, and career training labs rather than to lenders.

The turnaround matters politically as much as financially. School bonds live or die on voter trust, and the 2018-era reserve levels were a reminder of leaner times. The Moody's upgrade, arriving weeks before Election Day, gives the Yes campaign an independent data point to counter doubts about district management.

What the $205 Million Would Build

Measure G-26 is not a wish list drawn up in a vacuum. It funds the first phase of the district's 2030 Vision Facilities Master Plan, which the campaign says was developed through more than a year of facility assessments, community meetings, and surveys. The full master plan identifies roughly $429 million in long-term needs; the bond deliberately narrows that to $205 million in immediate priorities.

It's a playbook the district has run before. In 2016, officials trimmed a $135 million facilities plan down to the $95 million Measure M, which voters approved. That measure delivered tangible results, including the Marie Bauer Early Education Center and new playgrounds at elementary school campuses.

This time, much of the attention is on Paso Robles High School, where aging infrastructure is a driving concern. According to the campaign, the campus has leaking roofs and heating and air conditioning systems that struggle to keep up. The bond would address those basics while also funding:

• New career technical education facilities for advanced manufacturing, engineering and technology, health sciences, culinary arts, and cybersecurity
• A new cafeteria and student commons at Paso Robles High School
• An expanded library and improved study spaces
• Modernized classrooms
• An event center and gym, plus improved athletic facilities
• Better facilities for students with disabilities

Career technical education is a centerpiece. The campaign argues that students not headed to a four-year university deserve modern, hands-on training facilities for skilled careers available locally in Paso Robles — a point that resonates in a community with a strong trades and hospitality economy.

What It Costs — and the Safeguards

The estimated annual levy is less than $50 per $100,000 of assessed value, according to the campaign. Under California school bond law, proceeds can only fund school facilities — not salaries or administrative costs — and Measure G-26 includes additional accountability measures: annual independent financial and performance audits, a Citizens' Oversight Committee to review spending, and public reporting of all bond expenditures.

Timing is also part of the pitch. Passing the measure now, supporters say, positions the district to qualify for state matching funds and to get ahead of rising construction costs. The longer projects are deferred, the more they cost — a familiar dynamic for any district maintaining aging buildings.

The Stakes for Paso Robles

The broader framing from supporters is about what kind of community Paso Robles wants to be. The campaign's release puts it plainly: Paso Robles is known as a great place to visit and a great place to retire — and, they argue, it should also be a great place to grow up.

The counterweight is the tax bill itself. Even at less than $50 per $100,000 of assessed value, a bond of this size is a decades-long commitment for local property owners, and voters will weigh that against the district's record and the condition of its facilities. Notably, the original article is a paid message from the Committee for Strong Schools – Yes on Measure G-26, not independent reporting, and readers should treat its advocacy accordingly — though the underlying financial figures are drawn from Moody's, an outside agency.

If Measure G-26 fails, the projects in the 2030 Vision plan have no identified funding source, and students remain in buildings that supporters say need repairs today. If it passes, the district moves from planning to construction, following the path it charted with Measure M a decade ago.

Ballots are due November 3. The Yes campaign encourages residents to learn more at supportpasoschools.com.