Measure HV promises $27.8 million for Hermosa Valley School

by Kevin Cody

Wednesday morning, preliminary voting results indicate Hermosa Valley School will get  $6.8 million for classroom modernization, including two new science labs to be built next to the gym. Valley will also get $6.2 million for new athletic facilities, including a $3.9 million athletic field, and running track.

Carol Kluthe (above) and Rachel Vanlandinham (below), running as a slate, were elected to fill two vacant seats on the Hermosa Beach City School District board on Tuesday. Kluthe was the Ed Foundation president for three years and is the wife of outgoing School Board Member Quentin Kluthe. Vanlandinham is a law professor, and the wife of Hermosa Councilmember Raymond Jackson. Kluthe received 3,887 votes (38%). Vanlandingham received 3,631 votes (36%). Candidate Dev Shah finished third with 2,581 votes (26%).

The funds will come from Measure HV, a $27.8 million school bond voters, which had a comfortable lead Wednesday morning. The tally, with 55% of votes cast, was 4,467 votes (60%) to 2,961 votes (40%). Over 55% approval is required for passage.

Measure HV Funds will also go to HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning), and rooftop solar panels, budgeted at $4.7 million. Improvements to campus safety is budgeted at $6 million. Half of the $6 million is to restrict access to the campus by moving the check-in office to the campus perimeter, facing Valley Drive.

Measure HV is projected to raise $2.6 million annually by adding $13.15 per $100,000 in assessed valuation. But the property tax rate will be held at the current $34.95 per $100,000 of assessed valuation by phasing in the Measure HV tax as two previous bonds, J and S, are phased out. Measure HV is scheduled to be paid off in 2050. ER