Carpinteria Unified School District approves first reading of debt issuance policy after public objections

CARPINTERIA, Calif. — The Carpinteria Unified School District board approved the first reading of an updated debt issuance and management policy, BP 34-70, during a special meeting on Oct. 14, 2025.

The policy, described in the staff presentation as written to satisfy Senate Bill 1029 and provisions codified in Government Code section 8855, sets written guidelines for the district’s issuance of indebtedness. At the meeting the board moved and seconded approval of the policy’s first reading; the motion passed by voice vote with two members recorded as saying “Aye.” The record does not include a roll-call tally of individual member votes.

The vote followed a public comment in which an unnamed commenter raised objections to the policy change and questioned whether expanding the district’s ability to incur debt would be used to pay court-ordered obligations. “CUSD is opening the door to get further into debt so as to pay off the fines, and awards associated with the sins and failures of our current district officials,” the commenter said, adding concern that increased borrowing could let officials “spend even more of the taxpayers’ dollars trying to bail themselves out of the fiscal mess they created.” The commenter also asked who would determine whether an obligation is “involuntary.”

A board member who identified themselves as newly serving on the board said they had not expected their first day on the board to involve authorizing greater borrowing authority but that their votes would be cast with the intent of “taking care of the district” and allowing it to move forward. That member’s remark was recorded during the discussion before the question for a vote.

Board materials presented the policy as meeting SB 1029 requirements, described at the meeting as codified in Government Code section 8855. The agenda item was listed as BP 34-70, Debt Issuance and Management; staff said the policy provides written guidelines for the issuance of indebtedness by the district. The meeting record does not include details on future steps for a second reading or any proposed limits (dollar caps or notice requirements) beyond the general statement that the policy is being updated to satisfy state requirements.

The record also notes that a translator, identified as "Mister Delgado," would translate public comments into Spanish; the transcript indicates the commenter’s remarks were followed by a translation but does not include separate translated text in the meeting record provided here.

The first-reading approval advances the policy for a subsequent hearing or adoption step under the district’s normal policy process; the transcript does not specify when a second reading or final adoption will occur.

Votes at a glance

• Motion: Approve first reading of BP 34-70, Debt Issuance and Management (to update the district’s debt issuance guidelines to satisfy SB 1029 / Government Code §8855). Moved and seconded; approved by voice vote; two “Aye” responses were recorded. The transcript does not include a full roll-call or named vote tally.