Capitola Soquel Times: February 2013

The Soquel Union Elementary School District Board is scheduled to vote on a $90 per parcel tax at its February 6 regular board meeting at 6:30 p.m. A special board meeting will be held prior to that on Wednesday, January 30 at 9 a.m. to present the parcel tax plan and to answer questions from the public. Both meetings will be held at the District Office Board Room, 620 Monterey Avenue Capitola, California.

When asked why the District needed a parcel Tax, District Superintendent Henry Castaniada said, “Over the past five years the District has had to cut $1.3 million of its $14 million budget.

The passage of Proposition 30 does not restore the $1.3 million, it merely stopped the bleeding so we will not lose more of our funding in the current year.”

According to the Assistant Superintendent for Business Services, Harley Robertson, “The parcel tax would raise about $800,000 per year in additional funding for the District. This would include exemptions for senior citizen and handicapped property owners. There are about 10,000 properties and 16,000 registered voters in the district.”

For example, Castaniada noted that some of the positions the District currently provides are paid for directly by the parents such as library and media specialists. “These positions wouldn’t exist if the District had to pay for them,” said Castaniada, “That’s not what we want; we want to have the District able to have the funds available to provide the quality of education our students deserve. That’s what this parcel tax is about; to restore and maintain quality educational programs and facilities in our District.”

According to District documents, since 2008, SUESD has experienced $1.3 million in cuts due to state reductions in education funding, which has meant increased class sizes and loss of funding for art, music and libraries.

If a parcel tax is passed, all funds would stay in SUESD and could not be taken away by the State. Because the vote-by-mail election would take place May 7, 2013, the revenue would be available and positively impact the 2013-2014 school year budget. The parcel tax would expire in 8 years.

According to a District presentation, the funds from the parcel tax measure would:

• Protect academic programs in reading, writing, math and science
• Maintain advanced math and science programs for high-performing students
• Attract and retain qualified teachers
• Support smaller class sizes
• Retain school libraries and librarians
• Maintain art and music programs
• Keep schools safe and clean

In order to ensure that the funds are used as intended:

• No funds could be used for administrators’ salaries
• Citizen oversight and annual reports to our community would ensure funds are spent as promised

Additionally:

• The measure would expire in 8 years and could not be renewed without voter approval
• Senior citizen homeowners aged 65 or older could receive an exemption

In order to meet election deadlines, the Board would have to pass its resolution for the parcel tax at its February 6 meeting. The voters would have to pass the parcel tax measure by a 2/3 (66.7 percent) majority.

According to Tricia Webber of the Santa Cruz County Clerk’s Office, the ballots would be mailed to all registered voters on April 8 and would have to be returned to the county clerk’s office by 8 p.m. on May 7 to be counted. Voter registration could continue until April 30 in order to be mailed a ballot for the election.

According to the District administration the reason for having the board vote on February 6 2013 is that SUESD schools need additional funds to help maintain the quality of education for students in the 2013-14 school year. If the District waits for another regularly scheduled election in 2014, District schools would not receive additional revenue from the measure until the following school year in 2015.

Castaniada said, “It’s important that the message get out to the entire community about the parcel tax and its significance to maintaining a quality education in our schools because just 17 percent of our households have children in our schools. Having good schools doesn’t affect just that 17 percent, it affects everyone and the quality of life in our community by providing opportunities for a better life for the next generation.”

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Wednesday, January 30 special board meeting at 9 a.m. District Office Board Room, 620 Monterey Avenue Capitola, California to present the parcel tax plan and to answer questions from the public.

Wednesday, February 6 regular board meeting at 6:30 p.m. District Office Board Room, 620 Monterey Avenue Capitola, California to vote on a $90 per parcel tax