East Contra Costa County high school voters will decide on Nov. 3 whether to approve Measure X, a $165 million facilities bond for Liberty Union High School District. The district serves Liberty, Freedom, Heritage, Independence and La Paloma high schools in and around Brentwood and Oakley. The board voted unanimously on July 22, 2026, to place the measure on the ballot after a facilities master-planning process.

What the bond would pay for

District materials and the Yes on Measure X campaign list school-by-school projects. At Liberty High, plans include replacing aging N-Wing and H- and K-Wing classroom buildings, modernizing the library, and upgrading science labs. Freedom High would replace 21 portable classrooms with permanent space and build a Career Technical Education center for agriculture, law enforcement, fire science and public safety, plus lab upgrades. Heritage High would get a new six-classroom building, an auxiliary gym, and core infrastructure work. Independence High and adult education sites would bring bathrooms and classrooms up to current codes, update fire alarms, and replace decades-old portables.

District-wide, the measure lists roof, plumbing, electrical, heating and ventilation repairs; asbestos and hazardous-material removal where needed; campus safety and accessibility upgrades; and technology infrastructure for modern classrooms and career programs. The official ballot question frames the package as repairing aging classrooms and systems and upgrading labs, libraries and facilities for college and career readiness in math, science, health, engineering, arts and skilled trades.

What it would cost

While bonds are outstanding, the district estimates a tax rate of $20 per $100,000 of assessed value — about $11.3 million a year in levies, according to the ballot language summarized by the Contra Costa Taxpayers Association and the Yes campaign. The campaign says that works out to less than $10 a month for the average homeowner. Bond money would stay local, could not pay administrator salaries, and would come with a citizens' oversight committee and independent audits, per district and campaign materials. If voters approve it, the district says it could also qualify for roughly $35 million in state matching funds that would otherwise go elsewhere.

School construction bonds in California typically need 55% approval. CoCoTax lists Measure X at that 55% threshold.

Yes, no, and who is arguing

  • Yes: Authorize $165 million in bonds and the property-tax levy for the listed repairs and upgrades.
  • No: Leave the district without this bond package; facility work would stay on the deferred list.

Parent club presidents from Liberty, Freedom, Heritage and Independence signed an open letter supporting the measure. Bay Ballot, which tracks voter-guide endorsements, showed three of four Contra Costa guides recommending Yes and one No as of Oct. 10. The Contra Costa Taxpayers Association formally opposes Measure X on its November ballot-positions list. Full arguments will appear in the Contra Costa County voter guide. For more local November contests, see our Election 2026 hub.