A Parcel Tax alternative to be debated after Novmeber 5

By Thomas David Carter

This position paper asks three questions about the former Measure Y and the new Measure EE that need to be debated to be able to have a "fair" and "equitable" taxing distribution going forward for Eduction; for the additonal funding needed at the Santa Monica Unified School District because the County and State have failed our Kids.

For an alternative scenario, to be debated, we might start with the City of Davis Plan, which if adopted will produce approximately $5,000,000 in additional revenue.(Charges a tax of 50% of a Parcel to a Rental Unit.) Therefore, we in the City of Santa Monica, Malibu and the Six Voting L. A. County precincts will discuss if...

A. We will allow a Renter a 33% discount if the tax deduction is not available due to a lower income bracket.
B. We will allow a Renter an appropriate adjustment if considered a "Hardship" situation by the RCB.
C. We will allow the RCB to collect the 3% currently "unaccounted for" $400,000 at the County offices, by having the "surcharge" regulations of the Rent Control Board include this new tax.
D. If, we will ask the Renter to pay more then we must also ask the parents of a "permit student" to pay a "fair" share of the funds needed that the State budget deleted this year - correct or $201 per year?
E. And we will also review if the Renters can pay a "sliding" scale amount based on bedroom size, from 0 to 4 bedrooms, including the Single Family Homes - this would create a "fair" and "equitable" distribution of the tax burden. Currently the RCB has pristine records and the "square footage" data at the County might not.

I hope my altenative scenario can be debated and for the Benefit of Education arvive at a workable solution to revise the Parcel Tax to be "fair" and avoid having a Santa Monica Tea Party.(Remember Boston?)