As the Chair of the Measure O Oversight Committee, I am honored to present the final report to the Riverside Unified School Board. I wish I had been able to align the Measure O oversight with the goals of CABOC in regards to independence, oversight, and respect. Citizen Oversight is vital to local government and local control, and provides citizens with confidence to invest in future bonds.

It is disappointing that the Board of Education did not place much respect in the Measure O Oversight, as was evident at the ground-breaking of each school project, especially the Casa Blanca School. The board took the opportunity for photo ops and social media posts but showed complete disregard for the hours of debate about the Casa Blanca and all new schools.

I hope that with the transition of Measure O Oversight Committee Leadership and Board Members, the RUSD School Board will empower the committee to actually debate and hear the issues facing future school construction, including the cost effects of the PLA, which we inquired about and were told would not increase costs or the dramatic increases on specific projects like North High School.

Citizen Oversight is a critical component of local government, and it is essential that the Board of Education respects the work of the Measure O Oversight Committee. The committee’s role is to ensure that the funds are spent appropriately and that the community is informed about the progress of the projects. It is our hope that the Board of Education will work with us to ensure that the Measure O Oversight Committee is given the respect and support it deserves.