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Measure E Preserve San Marino Schools San Marino Unified School District Special Parcel Tax - 2/3 Approval Required Final Official Election Returns Pass: 3,476 / 71.2% Yes votes ...... 1,407 / 28.8% No votes
See Also:
Index of all Measures |
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Information shown below: Official Information | Impartial Analysis | Arguments | Full Text | |||||
To mitigate the cuts in the San Marino Unified School District’s educational program that will result from a potential $5 million budget shortfall caused by state budget cuts, to preserve teachers, core academic curriculum, advanced placement and honors classes, arts and athletic programs, and minimize increases in class sizes, shall the San Marino Unified School District authorize a $795 annual education parcel tax, as adjusted, for six (6) years, that will exempt seniors? Sample ballot in Chinese Sample ballot in Spanish
The Tax revenues, as determined by the Board, shall only be applied for the purposes of funding core academic programs including English, math, social studies, history and sciences, preserving teaching positions, minimizing increases in class sizes, preserving visual and performing arts and foreign language instruction, physical education and athletic programs, and maintaining advanced placement and honor classes, classroom computer systems and technology, and academic and college counseling positions. An exemption from the Tax may be obtained by any owner of a parcel used solely for owner-occupied single-family residential purposes and who is age 65 or older upon annual application to the District. Any parcels which are contiguous, used solely for owner-occupied, single-family residential purposes, and held under identical ownership may, by submitting an annual application, be treated as a single parcel for purposes of the Tax. Submission of any application for exemption or contiguous parcel treatment must be in accordance with the rules and regulations adopted by the Board. The decisions of the District relating to the specific levy of the Tax, including the senior citizen exemption and the classification of property for purposes of calculation of the tax, shall be final and binding. The proceeds of the Tax shall only be applied to the specific purposes identified and shall be deposited into a special account. An annual written report shall be made to the Board showing the amount of funds collected and expended from the proceeds of the Tax, and the status of any projects required or authorized to be funded from the Tax. The collection of the Tax is not intended to decrease or offset any local, state, or federal revenues otherwise available to the District at any time during which the Tax may be levied. In the event that the Tax has such effect, the District shall reduce the Tax to an amount necessary to restore the decrease or offset of revenues. The Taxes levied under this Measure shall be collected by the Treasurer and Tax Collector at the same time and manner, and subject to the same penalties, as general ad valorem property taxes, and shall become a lien upon the properties against which the Taxes are assessed and collectible. Unpaid Taxes shall bear interest at the same rate as the rate for unpaid ad valorem property taxes. This Measure requires a two-thirds (2/3) vote for passage
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Official Information District Statistics Organizations in Favor
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Arguments For Measure E | Arguments Against Measure E | ||
Drastic state budget cuts will have a severe impact on San Marino schools, the
#1 unified school district in California. A $5 million budget shortfall for San
Marino schools will jeopardize the legacy of excellence built over 50 years if
Measure E is not approved.
Measure E provides a reliable source of local funding to protect our schools from unpredictable state budget cuts. The facts are clear. San Marino student test scores are consistently in the top 10%; and 99% of our graduates go to college. Property values are directly related to the quality of our schools.
Without local Measure E funding, San Marino schools will be forced to: Measure E requires strict accountability. It offers an exemption to those 65 and older. The entire cost is tax deductible. All funds will remain in San Marino to benefit our schools. The state cannot take them away. We must act to avoid these cuts in our outstanding academic, arts and athletic programs. Your YES vote ensures the children of San Marino will continue to receive an exceptional public education, and in so doing we will protect the value of our homes. Protect the investment our schools make in our community and our future. PLEASE VOTE YES ON MEASURE E.
ANDREW F. BARTH
JEANIE CALDWELL
NAM JACK
MATTHEW LIN M.D.
ROSEMARY SIMMONS
Their financial advisor cleverly rear end loaded the repayment schedule; $3,572,000 in 2010, rising yearly to $6,000,000 in 2025. Spread this over 4450 homes and calculate your cost share. Is this an example of their claimed “accountability”? San Marino Unified School District spends thousands of dollars annually for consultants. Does none of their highly paid and educated staff have broad knowledge, or common sense to alleviate? Do not fear cuts in core academic classes. This is SMUSD’s only reason for existence, and a crude scare tactic. San Marino’s school population has scarcely varied in the past 10 years at 3100–3200 students. 119 are non–resident children of City and Schools employees. 10% are special education students. Maintain 2006 spending levels of $25,000,000. Your property values are not dependent on spending $5,000,000 more annually. It has been affirmed by countless national studies that high per pupil spending does not provide quality education or successful careers. Proposition 98 already guarantees 40% of the State general fund for schools. No matter when you purchased your home, Proposition 13 is your only defense against confiscatory property taxes. Do not destroy your protection with more parcel taxes. We should all stand behind good schools, but not frivolous or superfluous spending. Our electorate cannot have escaped recent financial turmoil. You know that retrenchment is necessary. Vote No!!!
GENE G. RUCKH | There is no “bail out”. This is a tax upon a tax. You paid your tax. The County
sequestered your money. The SMUSD is back for a second bite. Do not be
deceived, this is a direct assault on your property to assure high salaries and
benefits, forged by their Union, for teachers and administrators.
SM schools performance is not a result of superior teachers or facilities. It is a result of a small population of achieving families, who demand excellence of their children, and supplement as needed to insure success. As parents, many of us received an excellent K-12 education in an austere classroom with never less than 42 students. Money does not create top students as is evidenced by LA and Washington DC which spend thousands more per student with meager results. SM’s curriculum is not outstanding. All life skill programs were abandoned long ago in favor of art and cultural abstractions. SMUSD must cut costs by eliminating non-essentials, reduce employee, teacher, and administrative overhead, freeze salaries and benefits, increase class size, outsource everything possible, freeze all capital programs and expenditures. Parcel taxes, assessments, and fees are a direct assault on Prop 13. This is $795 annually, increased by 3%/yr for six years on every parcel. We seniors are privileged to file annually for exemption not provided by State law. Beware of 6 years of exemption extended to you by the SMUSD. There is already a $300/yr perpetual parcel tax in effect. Six years is a long time. Electorate, it borders on naivete for you to think the SMUSD will abate, or give back any of their lucre if the economy improves. They will keep the money, and be back for more. VOTE NO!!!
GENE G. RUCKH
The future of San Marino Schools and our community will be determined by how we vote on Measure E. The meaning of every vote is very clear: Every YES vote is a vote to continue the legacy of educational excellence San Marino has built over the last 50 years, a legacy that prepares our children and grandchildren to be great contributors to our society. Every no vote is a vote to eliminate core teaching positions, significantly increase class sizes, and reduce/eliminate academic, art and athletic programs. It sends a clear message to the children of our community that we no longer value outstanding education, an education so important in supporting their dreams for the future. Everyone benefits because San Marino’s excellent schools have built, maintained and strengthened local property values. It is that simple. Measure E will: Retain teachers and core instruction in academic, arts, physical education and athletic programs; Preserve visual and performing arts programs and classes; Maintain lower class sizes; Keep honors, advanced placement, academic and counseling programs. Protect San Marino Schools - ranked #1 in test scores and student performance for five years in a row. All Measure E funds will be spent locally. None can be taken by Sacramento. A senior exemption is available. Vote YES to protect your property values. Vote YES to protect our investment in our students and community. Together, our YES votes will secure the future of our schools. Join us in voting YES on MEASURE E.
GENE DRYDEN
MARY FALKENBURY
TIM SLOAN
LINDA SUN
JERRY WANG |
Full Text of Measure E |
PRESERVE SAN MARINO SCHOOLS
To mitigate the negative effects of California state funding reductions, preserve the excellence of the schools and community, teachers, core academic curriculum, advanced placement and honors classes, arts and athletic programs, and minimize increases in class sizes, the San Marino Unified School District proposes to levy an education parcel tax beginning July 1, 2009, at the rate of $795 per year, as adjusted, on each parcel located within the San Marino Unified School District, with an exemption available for senior citizens, to: 1. Replace revenue lost to our schools by substantial cuts in state funding; 2. Preserve core academic curriculum, including English, math, social studies, history, and science; 3. Preserve teaching positions; 4. Minimize increases in class sizes; 5. Preserve visual and performing arts instruction, foreign language offerings, physical education and athletic programs; 6. Maintain advanced placement and honors courses; 7. Maintain classroom computer systems and technology; and, 8. Maintain academic and college counseling positions
AMOUNT OF EDUCATION PARCEL TAX; PERIOD OF ASSESSMENT
DEFINITION OF “PARCEL”
EXEMPTION FOR CONTIGUOUS PARCELS
EXEMPTION FOR SENIORS With respect to all general property tax matters within its jurisdiction, the Los Angeles County Assessor/Tax Collector, or other appropriate County tax officials shall make all final determinations of tax exemption or relief for any reason, and that decision shall be final and binding. With respect to matters specific to the levy of the education parcel tax, including the senior citizen exemption and the classification of property for purposes of calculating the tax, the decisions of the San Marino Unified School District shall be final and binding.
REDUCTION IN TAX IF RESULT IS LESS OTHER GOVERNMENT
SUPPORT
ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES |