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San Mateo County, CA May 5, 2009 Election
Measure A
Parcel Tax
Jefferson Elementary School District

2/3 Approval Required

Fail: 4,092 / 57.9% Yes votes ...... 2,976 / 42.1% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Information shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments |

To maintain and improve quality education and protect neighborhood elementary schools from state budget cuts by attracting/retaining qualified teachers/staff, maintaining writing, math, science, art/music programs, improving instruction with computer technology, and keeping class sizes small, shall Jefferson Elementary School District authorize an $85 annual education parcel tax for seven years, exempting senior citizens, with citizens' oversight, mandatory audits, no money for administrator salaries, and all funds staying in local schools to enhance achievement?"

Impartial Analysis
The California Constitution and state law authorize a school district, upon approval of two-thirds of the voting electorate, to levy a qualified special tax for specified purposes.

By this measure, the Board of Education of the Jefferson Elementary School District proposes to levy a special tax for a period of seven years beginning July 1, 2009 and ending June 30, 2016. This tax shall be at a rate of $85 per year per parcel on all taxable parcels in the District.

A parcel shall be defined as any unit of real property in the District which receives a separate tax bill for ad valorem property taxes from the San Mateo County tax collection officials. Any property owner (i) aged 65 years or older or (ii) receiving Supplemental Security Income for a disability may qualify for an exemption from the special tax if that property owner occupies the parcel. All property which would otherwise be exempt from ad valorem property taxes will also be exempt from the imposition of the tax.

The levy and collection of the special tax is not intended to decrease or offset any increase in local, state, or federal government funding sources that would otherwise be available to the District at any time during which the tax may be levied. In the event that the levy and collection of the tax does have such an effect, the District shall reduce the tax levy to the extent of any such decrease or offset.

The stated purposes of the special tax are to: maintain and improve reading, writing, math, and science programs; attract and retain teachers and staff; supplement state funding to provide small class sizes; provide a complete curriculum that includes arts and music; and use updated computer technology and equipment for academic instruction.

The proceeds of the special tax will be placed into a special account. An independent citizens' oversight committee will be established to monitor the expenditures of the parcel tax revenues. An annual report is required that accounts for the parcel tax revenues collected and the manner in which they have been spent.

A "yes" vote on this measure would allow a special tax to be levied on property within the boundaries of the Jefferson Elementary School District for a period of seven years beginning July 1, 2009 and ending June 30, 2016 in an amount of $85 per year per taxable parcel. The special tax would be used to: maintain and improve reading, writing, math, and science programs; attract and retain teachers and staff; supplement state funding to provide small class sizes; provide a complete curriculum that includes arts and music; and use updated computer technology and equipment for academic instruction.

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

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

 
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Arguments For Measure A Arguments Against Measure A
Th Jefferson Elementary School District provides quality educational programs, strong parent support, good student test scores through hardworking and dedicated teachers, and staff.

Children of Daly City, Colma, and Broadmoor in the last five years have raised math scores by 12% and English scores have risen by 10%.

Although our local schools have raised student test scores and improved academic performance in the past five years, state budget cuts threaten teachers, staff, and educational programs for students.

Your YES vote on Measure A will allow our schools to maintain the quality of education that local students deserve by maintaining and improving math, science, reading and writing programs, continuing to attract and retain highly-qualified teachers and staff, and keep class sizes as small as possible.

Best of all, every penny of Measure A funds goes directly into our local schools to support student achievement and cannot be taken by the state.

Your YES on Measure A to help local Jefferson elementary and middle school students continue to succeed.

  • Maintain and improve math, science, reading and writing programs
  • Attract and retain highly- and qualified teachers and staff
  • Improve academic instruction through new computer technology and equipment
  • Keep class sizes as small as possible

Measure A provides Strong Fiscal Accountability Measures

  • Independent citizen oversight and mandatory annual audits to ensure funds are spent as promised
  • Funds cannot be spent on administrators' salaries
  • The measure would expire in 7 years and could not be renewed without voter approval
  • An exemption would be available for senior and disabled students

Our high quality schools are part of our community and make our neighborhoods desirable places in which to live. Join us to protect high quality education in our local schools - vote YES on Measure A.

Rebuttal to Arguments For
"Strong Fiscal Accountability Measures?" Poppycock!

Enron-style oversight: The "independent citizen oversight committee" would be appointed by the trustees and report to the trustees.

Shell Game: Although parcel tax dollars couldn't be spent on administrators' salaries directly, Measure A would allow trustees to reallocate money from unrestricted funds that would otherwise go to teachers.

Breakage When an unscrupulous business offers a rebate with paperwork requirements that make it difficult for consumers to collect, it's called breakage. Unlike other school districts, Measure A would require senior citizens and the disabled to apply for their exemptions on seven different occasions (i.e., by June 15 of each year prior to tax collection). Seven times!

No Voter Approval in Years 2-7 Cost per parcel would total $595 (7 x $85) with no opportunity for voters to change their minds.

Remember the $52 million bond?

In 2001 voters approved a massive tax increase, costing thousands of dollars per parcel.

Using bond money instead of unrestricted money for school modernization left plenty in the General Fund for salaries.

By 2007, teachers' earnings averaged $74,000; --- more than double Daly City's median earnings for works, $33,000.*

Budget Cut Threats

Politicians always threaten to cut school budgets if voters don't approve yet another tax. But, with or without new taxes, schools typically end up with more money than ever when the dust settles.

  • Yes, things are tough all over, --- but not equally.

  • Businesses are hurting worst of all, and face the greatest financial uncertainty; depending on (falling) consumer spending for income, and vulernable to rising taxes that erode their ability to stay afloat.

Homeowners and renters are in the same position.

  • Government budget makers are comparatively fortunate regarding income. Taxes are not optional! (And any declines are secondary to someone else's greater misfortune.)

  • Among government agencies, Schools sit at the top of the food chain. Their primary source of revenue is property taxes --- the most stable of all revenue streams.

Normally, regular property taxes on most parcels automatically increase 2% each year (with no voter approval required), and taxes on properties that change hands typically increase by much greater amounts. Total property tax assessments in San Mateo County have increased steadily under this formula. Growth rates in the last 10 years were 8.2%, 7.7%, 8.7%, 7.4%, 4.7%, 5.7%, 12.6%, 10.3%, and 8.9%*

Moreover, Prop 98 guarantees schools the lion's share of state general fund spending, filling school coffers further.**

  • It is shameful, and unfair, for schools to seek higher property taxes, kicking the less fortunate when they're down.

  • Government officials who care about the people should be struggling to find ways to reduce the cost-of-living at this time; not increase taxes to feather their own nests.

Today it is up to the voters to do the right thing. Please vote "no". Thank you.

Rebuttal to Arguments Against
The State of California is facing a budget crisis, which affects us all. In fact, the State has already suspended basic school funding that our opponent is assuming our local schools will receive.

The truth is that our schools are targeted for massive cuts to teachers and academic programs unless Measure A passes.

Measure A is a local funding measure which assures that our schools have vital resources and are protected from harmful actions by the State. No funds from Measure A can be taken away by the State.

Measure A calls for mandatory annual audits to ensure funds are spent as promised and not on administrators' salaries.

Every penny raised by Measure A is subject to review by a Citizens Oversight Committee at meetings open to the public.

Measure A funds will be used to ensure a quality education for students of the Jefferson Elementary School District by:

  • maintaining and improving math, science, reading and writing programs

  • attracting and retaining highly-qualified teachers and staff

  • keeping class sizes as small as possible to provide students the support and attention they need

The hard-working families of Daly City, Colma, and Broadmoor want and deserve high-quality educational programs for their children. We can't expect our opponent, who lives in the City of San Mateo, to understand the challenges facing our local elementary and middle schools.

Measure A provides an exemption for seniors and the disabled.

Join us in protecting education in our local schools at a time when they need our support most --- Vote YES on Measure A.


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Created: July 31, 2009 13:01 PDT
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