3,720 / 65.4% Yes votes ...... 1,971 / 34.6% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

By this measure, the Board of Trustees of the Cabrillo Unified School District propose to levy a special tax for a period of five years beginning July 1, 2003 and ending July 1, 2008. This tax shall be at a rate not to exceed $250 per year on all taxable parcels in the District.

A parcel shall be defined as any parcel of land wholly or partially located within the District, for which the San Mateo County Assessor has assigned an assessor's identification number and has designated the parcel as having a permanent structure which is used for residential, industrial or commercial purposes. Any such parcels which are contiguous, used solely for owner-occupied single family residential purposes and held under identical ownership, shall, upon approval of an application of the owners of such parcel, be treated as a single parcel for purposes of this special tax. If a mobile home is located on a parcel of land that has been assigned an identification number by the Assessor and is subject to this tax, the mobile home itself shall not be separately treated as a parcel for purposes of this tax, even if the mobile home has been assigned an "improvement" parcel number. Any property owner aged 65 years or older may qualify for an exemption from the special tax if the property owner occupies the parcel.

The proceeds of the special tax shall be spent to provide, maintain or restore the following: small class size for kindergarten through third grade; literacy programs; teaching staff; transportation services; library programs; middle and high school guidance counseling; small size high school English and math classes; middle school math programs; advanced placement and honors classes; special programs including music and art; custodial and clerical services; classroom supplies and material.

The proceeds of the special tax will be placed into a special account. The Board of Trustees must file an annual report accounting for the parcel tax revenues collected and the manner in which they have been spent.

This measure would also increase the District's appropriations limit per fiscal year, in an amount equal to the levy of the special tax for that year, as permitted by Article XIIIB, section 4 of the California Constitution.

A "yes" vote on this measure would allow a special tax to be levied on all taxable parcels in the Cabrillo Unified School District in an amount of up to $250 per year, to provide, maintain or restore education and support programs. It would also allow the appropriations (spending) limit to be raised.

A "no" vote on this measure would not allow the special tax to be levied and would not allow the appropriations limit to be raised.

This measure passes if two-thirds of those voting on the measure vote "yes."

Election Results

Ballot measure and other election information in Spanish

Ballot measure and other election information in Chinese

Yes on Measure A:

FOCUS...Friends of Cabrillo Unified Schools

No on Measure A: No official website known at this time.

For information about the Cabrillo Unified School District

A parcel tax is the only way for the school district to raise money for classroom instruction and educational programs and services. The money from the bond that was passed in 1996 can only be used to modernize and improve school facilities and cannot be used for educational programs and services.

Make no mistake: without the additional funding that this parcel tax would generate, many valuable programs (including literacy programs, advanced placement classes, school athletic programs, reduced class sizes, the school bus program, small classes in lower grades and special programs such as music, art and athletics) will be severely curtailed or eliminated altogether.

Measure A will cost property owners $250 per year for only 5 years, or less than $5.00 a week. Only improved parcels will be taxed. It exempts parcels owned and occupied by individuals over 65 years of age. None of the proceeds will be used for administration.

The local dollars generated by this parcel tax will be a direct investment in coastside children and benefit the entire community. Please support our children by voting YES on Measure A.

/s/ Toni Taylor December 16, 2002
City Council Member, City of Half Moon Bay

/s/ Jonathan Lundell December 16, 2002
Community Member

/s/ Naomi Patridge December 15, 2002
Former Mayor, City of Half Moon Bay

/s/ Cameron Palmer December 15, 2002
Local Business Owner

/s/ Susan Sanchez December 16, 2002
Service Coordinator Mid-Peninsula Housing Services Corporation

We all face probable significant tax hikes from Sacramento, making the true impact far greater than this $1,250. IF THE THIRD LARGEST PARCEL TAX IN SAN MATEO COUNTY IS GOING TO JUST KEEP THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT'S HEAD ABOVE WATER, THEN A PARCEL TAX IS NOT A LONG-TERM SOLUTION. CUSD needs to press upon itself and our lawmakers the changes necessary to allow the funding already available to be put to the best use rather than slam taxpayers out through 2007-2008.

Please vote no and urge them back to the drawing board for a measure with less fantasy and more recognition that schools aren't the only ones impacted by California's fiscal meltdown.

/s/ Stephen J. Okonek December 26, 2002
Research Manager

/s/ D. F. Pettengill December 26, 2002
Research Engineer

A five-year commitment allows the Board to continue stalling on a new middle school you're already paying for. After a brief flurry of activity last spring, they basically quit even trying. The delay is now so disgraceful that a child completing kindergarten when the construction bond passed will never attend classes in a new middle school. Requests for outside arbitration, public preference votes on sites, and more sessions have fallen on deaf ears. If voters won't hold those with fiduciary responsibilities accountable now, when will they?

Calling this tax regressive is an understatement. Most large businesses will pay the same $1250 as a laid-off homeowner struggling to make mortgage payments. Another share of property owners are completely and illogically exempt. The Board quickly dismissed a partial amelioration strategy based on square footage.

The Board heard cautions concerning both the size and term of this tax yet showed little consideration for taxpayers who also face tough times. It's one thing to support an emergency infusion and another to force the entire problem of uncertain duration on property owners' backs. I respectfully urge a no vote.

/s/ Stephen J. Okonek December 15, 2002

Times are tough; the parcel tax is the only means to support a school district's budget. With the current cuts in the state budget we cannot continue to provide such critical programs as smaller class size, literacy training and support, and counseling services. The only option to maintain quality programs is a $250 parcel tax.

By passing this parcel tax the Cabrillo Unified School District will continue to provide the quality public education this community expects and deserves.

Yes, a parcel tax is a sacrifice, but the guarantee of a program of excellence for our children is priceless.

/s/ Deborah Ruddock December 23, 2002
City Council Member, City of Half Moon Bay

/s/ B.A. Pittenger December 18, 2002
President, Cabrillo Unified Teachers' Association

/s/ Dorothy G. Tigerman December 19, 2002
Senior Coastsider

/s/ Millie Golder December 18, 2002
Founder, Back to Basics/Operation Band-Aid

/s/ Penny Offholter December 18, 2002
President, California School Employees' Association Chapter 485

A. Small classes in kindergarten through third grade;

B. Literacy programs for all students;

C. A highly qualified and well-trained teaching staff;

D. Transportation services;

E. Library programs;

F. Middle and high school guidance counseling programs;

G. Small English classes at the high school;

H. Small math classes at the high school;

I. Support to middle school math programs;

J. Advanced placement and honors classes;

K. Special programs, including athletic, music and art programs;

L. Custodial and clerical services;

M. Classroom supplies and materials.

Pursuant to Section 50075.1(b) of the Government Code, no program or reduction other than the above shall be funded by the proceeds of the special tax.

Under no circumstances shall any of the proceeds of the tax be used for administrative salaries.

A "parcel" shall be defined as any parcel of land, wholly or partially located within the District, for which the County Assessors of San Mateo County have assigned an assessor's identification number and designated by the County Assessor as having a permanent structure which is used for residential, industrial or commercial purposes. However, any such parcels which are contiguous, used solely for owner-occupied single family residential purposes and held under identical ownership, shall, upon approval of an application of the owners of such parcel, be treated as a single parcel for purposes of this special tax. Moreover, if a mobile home is located on a parcel of land that has been assigned an identification number by the County Assessor and is subject to this tax, the mobile home itself shall not be separately treated as a parcel for purposes of this tax, even if the mobile home has been assigned an "improvement" parcel number.

Pursuant to Section 50079(b) of the Government Code, any owners, 65 years of age or older, of a parcel used solely for owneroccupied single family residential purposes may obtain an exemption from the special tax upon approval of an application submitted to the Governing Board of the District.

Pursuant to Section 50075.1(c) of the Government Code, the District shall create or cause to be created an account into which the proceeds of the special tax shall be deposited.

Pursuant to Section 50075.1(d) of the Government Code, the District shall file the annual reports required by Section 50075.3 of the Government Code.

Pursuant to California Constitution Article XIIB, the appropriations limit for the Cabrillo Unified School District shall be increased by the aggregate sum collected by the levy of the special tax in each of the years for which the special tax is authorized.