League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Los Angeles County, CA May 5, 2009 Election
	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

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: REDUCE core academic classes in English, math, social studies, history, and science; ELIMINATE 50 to 60 teaching positions (1 out of every 3 teachers); INCREASE class sizes by 40% to 50%; REDUCE/ELIMINATE advanced placement and honors classes; REDUCE/ELIMINATE visual and performing arts classes and programs, including choral music, orchestra, band, speech and debate, drama, and art; REDUCE/ELIMINATE academic and counseling services; REDUCE/ELIMINATE foreign language offerings; REDUCE/ELIMINATE physical education and athletic programs; and, REDUCE/ELIMINATE classroom technology support. 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 Member, Board of Education 1997–2005 Board President 1999–2001, 2004–2005 JEANIE CALDWELL Member, Board of Education 2001–Current Board President 2003–2004 2008–Current NAM JACK Huntington PTA President, 2008–2009 Valentine PTA President, 2004–2006 San Marino Schools Foundation Trustee 2005–Current MATTHEW LIN M.D. Member, San Marino City Council 2001–2009 Mayor 2003–2004, 2006–2008 ROSEMARY SIMMONS Member, San Marino City Council 1982–1992 Mayor 1986–1988< Rebuttal to Arguments For These same proponents gave you nearly $109,000,000 in debt service for one of the most poorly managed, wasteful school construction projects in recent history. 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 San Marino Resident and Taxpayer

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 SM Resident and Taxpayer Rebuttal to Arguments Against Don’t be confused. 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 President, San Marino Historical Society 2004–2008 Member, San Marino City Council 1988–2001 Mayor, City of San Marino 1992–1994 Vice Mayor, City of San Marino 1990–1992 MARY FALKENBURY PTA Council President 2008–09 Huntington Middle School PTA President 2006–07 Carver Elementary School PTA President 2003–04 TIM SLOAN Financial Advisory Task Force 2008–2009; San Marino High School Football Boosters 2006 & 2008 Athletic Advisory Task Force 2005–2006; San Marino Schools Foundation Associate Trustee 2003–Present San Marino Schools Foundation Vice President, Special Projects 2002–2003 San Marino Little League President 2001; San Marino Schools Foundation Trustee 2000–2003 LINDA SUN San Marino PTA Council, Auditor 2009–10 & 2008–09 PTA President of Chinese School of San Marino 2008–09 JERRY WANG San Marino Schools Foundation Trustee – 2008–09 Chinese Club of San Marino – Director – 2004–07 Chinese School of San Marino–Board Member 2004–07

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 The education parcel tax shall be assessed annually against each Parcel in the amount of $795, adjusted annually by the lesser of the Los Angeles Statistical Area Consumer Price Index or three percent for a total of six (6) full years. DEFINITION OF “PARCEL” For purposes of this special tax, the term “Parcel” means any parcel of land which lies wholly or partially within the boundaries of the San Marino Unified School District, that receives a separate tax bill for ad valorem property taxes from the Los Angeles County Assessor/Tax Collector. All property that is otherwise exempt from or upon which are levied no ad valorem property taxes in any year shall also be exempt from the education parcel tax in such year. EXEMPTION FOR CONTIGUOUS PARCELS For purposes of this special tax, any such Parcels which are (i) contiguous, (ii) used solely for owner-occupied, single-family residential purposes, and (iii) held under identical ownership may, by submitting an application of the owners thereof each year to the San Marino Unified School District in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the Board of Education (“Board”), be treated as a single Parcel for purposes of the levy of the education parcel tax. EXEMPTION FOR SENIORS Pursuant to California Government Code Section 50079(b), any owner of a Parcel used solely for owner-occupied, single-family residential purposes and who is 65 years of age or older may obtain an exemption from the education parcel tax by annually submitting an application to the San Marino Unified School District in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the Board. 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 The collection of the education parcel tax is not intended to decrease or offset any local, state or federal government revenues that would otherwise be available to the San Marino Unified School District at any time during which the education parcel tax may be levied. In the event that the levy and collection would have such an effect, the San Marino Unified School District shall reduce the education parcel tax to the extent that such action is necessary to restore the amount of the decrease or offset in other revenues that would otherwise occur. ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES In accordance with the requirements of Government Code Sections 50075.1 and 50075.3, the following accountability measures, among others, shall apply to the education parcel tax levied in accordance with this measure: (a) the specific purposes of the education parcel tax shall be those purposes identified above; (b) the proceeds of the education parcel tax shall be applied only to those specific purposes identified above; (c) a separate, special account shall be created into which the proceeds of the education parcel tax must be deposited; and (d) an annual written report shall be made to the Board showing (i) the amount of funds collected and expended from the proceeds of the education parcel tax and (ii) the status of any projects or programs required or authorized to be funded from the proceeds of the education parcel tax, as identified above/