Proposition 55. Prop. 55. Fifty-five.

That’s the number of the March 2 bond measure that a coalition of local educators, business leaders and others asked voters to support during a windy press conference on Thursday morning in front of Edward L. Wenzlaff Elementary School in Desert Hot Springs.

The general obligation bond, if approved, will infuse $12.3 billion of much-needed construction and repair money into K-12 schools, community colleges and universities, said Richard Post, College of the Desert’s dean of applied science and business.

But with a daunting slate of bond measures coming up in a few weeks, veteran educator and Palm Springs Unified school board member Don Aikens admits he’s concerned Proposition 55 may get lost in the shuffle. He reminded voters that Proposition 55 is really the "second half" of Proposition 47, a similar obligation bond that voters approved.

So Aikens stood in solidarity with others in the Coachella Valley to seek support for a bond that they said will be critical to schools in the Coachella Valley, Riverside County and the rest of the state.

At stake for Riverside County schools is $1.3 billion in state matching funds for new construction and another $50 million in repairs, Aikens said.

Aikens stressed the need for $3.5 million in renovations and improvements at the Wenzlaff Elementary campus alone.

Across the Coachella Valley, the three public school districts combined need nearly $300 million in state-matching funds, according to documents filed with the California Office of Public School Construction.

That doesn’t include other projects that may only now be getting off the ground.

No one who’s against Proposition 55 showed up at Thursday’s press conference, but the measure does have some opposition.

Among those leading an effort to persuade voters to just say "no" to Proposition 55 is state Sen. Rico Oller, R-San Andreas, who believes the bond measure would hurt the state’s already bleak financial picture.

"At a time when Gov. Schwarz-enegger and the Legislature struggle to find ways to pay for $73 billion in previously approved debt, the measure would only dig the state deeper into a financial hole," Oller said.

Opponents insist Californians ultimately will pay higher taxes to pay back the money over the next 30 years.

For teacher Genny Smith, president of the Palm Springs Teachers Association, the bottom line is that the need for schools is "desperate," with 73 percent of classrooms statewide already more than a quarter-century old.

"Our schools, some of our schools, are without the basics," Smith said.

Proponents of Proposition 55, such as the California PTA, said that, if approved, the bond will help relieve overcrowding and accommodate new enrollments, particularly in growing areas of California such as the Coachella Valley.

"We can’t afford to wait on this funding," said Patti Hanson, of the Parent Teacher’s Association.

Passage of Proposition 55 would help pay for such local projects as a $4 million improvement to Washington Charter School, a $2 million renovation of Jefferson Middle School and $1.4 million in construction of the Indian Wells Center for Education Excellence at California State University, San Bernardino’s Palm Desert campus.

If the measure passes, $10 billion will go to K-12 schools; $920 million will be available in matching funds for community colleges in the state; $690 million will go for University of California construction and repairs; and $690 million would go to California State University’s system.

Post, a dean at College of the Desert who also was representing colleges and universities across California, said new construction is critical at College of the Desert’s campus, which has 10,000 students.

That number is expected to double within a decade, he said, so voters should view Proposition 55 as a critical investment in the "training ground for future leaders."

Proposition 55
School infrastructure: Estimated state-matching funds needed for construction and repairs. Amounts represent only the state’s matching obligation to fund the new school construction and repair projects. Districts may need more funding but have not yet filed eligibility applications with the state.

Coachella Valley
New construction: $27,055,492
Repairs: $6,999,670
Total: $34,055,162

Desert Sands Unified
New construction: $179,266,669
Repairs: $10,322,674
Key projects: Two new elementary schools, a middle school and high school (totaling nearly $57 million)
Total: $189,589,343

Palm Springs Unified
New construction: $67,433,092
Repairs: $808,110
Key projects: New K-8 school and high school (totaling nearly $31 million)
Total: $68,241,202

Source: State Office of Public School Construction