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As state cuts funding, more districts turn to voters


Monday, June 15, 2009

by Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times

Facing multibillion-dollar state funding cuts, school districts across California are asking residents to tax themselves to fund local schools. Parcel taxes—some topping $2,000 annually per family—have been proposed this year from Sebastopol to San Marino.

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The biggest hurdle such proposals face is a state constitutional requirement that parcel taxes must be approved by 66.7% of voters. To increase their chances of success, the proposals usually include sweeteners—an exemption for seniors, a “self-destruct” mechanism if Sacramento tries to take the money, a ban on using it for administrators’ salaries.

State Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) and Supt. of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell are pushing to lower the threshold to 55%.

“If the state of California isn’t prepared to adequately fund schools, the least we can do is give local school districts a tool to allow local folks to make local choices about local needs,” said Simitian, who has written legislation four times since 2003 that would allow voters to decide whether to lower the threshold.

Full story on the Los Angeles Times website.