This is an archive of a past election.
See http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/sba/ for current information.
LWV League of Women Voters of California Education Fund If you appreciate our service to voters, please consider helping us with a donation.
Smart Voter
Santa Barbara County, CA June 5, 2012 Election
Measure W2012
Secondary School Funding
Santa Barbara High School District
Parcel Tax - 2/3 Approval Required

Fail: 21330 / 64.34% Yes votes ...... 11822 / 35.66% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures
Results as of Jun 5 11:28pm, 100.0% of Precincts Reporting (120/120)
Information shown below: Official Information | Impartial Analysis | Arguments |

To offset severe state budget cuts to our junior high and high schools; enhance secondary math, science, technology and career education; protect music, arts, foreign language and theater programs at the secondary level; and protect secondary class size, shall Santa Barbara Unified School District be authorized to implement a $54 annual parcel tax for four years, with an available exemption for senior citizens, with independent citizen oversight, without administrative salaries, and with every dollar staying in our local schools?

Official Sources of Information

Impartial Analysis from Gustavo E. Lavayen, Chief Deputy County Counsel
The California Constitution, Article XIIIA, section 4 and the California Government Code (§ 50075 et seq.) authorize a school district, upon approval by a two-thirds vote (2/3) of the voters within the district, to impose a special tax on real property parcels within the district.

This measure, if approved by two-thirds (2/3) of the voters within the Santa Barbara Unified School District (the "District") will authorize the District to levy a parcel tax of $54 per year against each parcel of land that lies wholly or partially within District boundaries that has been assigned an assessor's parcel number. (The full text of the measure is printed in the ballot pamphlet.)

The parcel tax is to be levied for four (4) fiscal years, without increase, beginning in the fiscal year starting July 1, 2013 and ending in the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2016. The parcel tax shall be collected in the same manner and will be subject to the same interest and penalties as general property taxes and the proceeds will be deposited into a separate restricted account and shall be used only for the following specific secondary level educational purposes:

Reducing class size to foster student achievement Enhancing math, science and technology education Enhancing music, arts and theater programs Enhancing foreign language at the secondary level Attracting and retaining quality teachers without funding for administrator salaries Enhancing trade related courses that provide career readiness Providing a citizens oversight committee Providing independent financial audits.

An annual written report will be made to the District's Board of Education (the "Board") showing (1) the amount of funds collected and expended from tax proceeds, (2) the status of any projects or programs funded by the parcel tax listed above, and (3) an annual independent financial audit. Tax proceeds shall not be spent on administrative salaries.

The oversight committee shall advise the Board on expenditures funded by the measure to ensure funds are only spent by the District for the purposes stated in the measure. Secondary charter schools authorized by the District shall share in the tax funding, proportional to the enrollment of students from the District and will report annually to the Board and community on how tax funds have been spent.

Any owner that is 65 years of age or older of a parcel used solely for owner-occupied single-family residential purposes may receive an exemption from the parcel tax by annually submitting an application by June 15 of each year to the Board in accordance with the Board's adopted rules and regulations.

A YES vote means the measure and parcel tax are APPROVED. A NO vote means the measure and parcel tax are NOT APPROVED.

Gustavo E. Lavayen Chief Deputy County Counsel

  
This election is archived. Any links to sources outside of Smart Voter may no longer be active. No further links will be added to this page.
Links to sources outside of Smart Voter are provided for information only and do not imply endorsement.

Arguments For Measure W2012
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF MEASURE W2012

We have the unique opportunity to continue to provide the secondary school students of the Santa Barbara Unified School District with dedicated funds for proven programs and materials that have enriched their educational experience over the past four years - funding that is not affected by state budget cuts and cannot be taken away by the politicians in Sacramento.

Our students in grades 7-12 count on this local funding for programs that they would not otherwise receive. Supporting Measure W2012 will continue the stable, consistent, locally controlled funding our students rely on to receive the best education our community can provide.

Approximately $2.7 million per year will flow into classrooms and reach each of the nearly 10,000 junior high and high school students in the Santa Barbara Unified School District.

Measure W2012 will allow the Santa Barbara Unified School District to maintain:

  • Enhanced math, science, and technology education;
  • Music, art, and theater programs;
  • Enhanced secondary foreign language courses;
  • Updated computer and educational technology.

Measure W2012 will continue to improve student achievement by:
  • Reducing class size to foster student achievement;
  • Enhancing math, science, foreign language, and technology education programs;
  • Maintaining high-quality music, art, and theater programs;
  • Offering trade-related courses to assist students in entering the workforce.

Measure W2012 protects taxpayers by:
  • Requiring that all funds be used locally to improve the Santa Barbara Unified School District with no money spent on administrator salaries;
  • Creating an independent citizen oversight committee;
  • Requiring annual reporting on expenditures and annual independent financial audits;
  • Expiring in four years unless reauthorized by voters;
  • Providing an exemption for senior citizens.

Measure W2012 is an essential investment in public education and in our community; excellent public schools enhance property values and improve our quality of life.

Please join us in continuing to support our children's future.

The undersigned authors of the argument in favor of Ballot Measure W2012 at the Primary Election for the Santa Barbara Unified School District to be held on June 5, 2012, hereby state that such argument is true and correct to the best of their knowledge and belief.

/s/ Lanny Ebenstein, Former Trustee, Santa Barbara Board of Education

/s/ Margaret Connell, Councilmember, City of Goleta

/s/ Nancy Harter, Former Trustee, Santa Barbara Board of Education

/s/ Mark Ingalls, Past President, Santa Barbara Education Foundation

/s/ Craig Zimmerman, Local Businessperson

(No arguments against Measure W2012 were submitted)

Santa Barbara Home Page || Statewide Links || About Smart Voter || Feedback
Created: July 26, 2012 13:01 PDT
Smart Voter <http://www.smartvoter.org/>
Copyright © League of Women Voters of California Education Fund   http://cavotes.org
The League of Women Voters neither supports nor opposes candidates for public office or political parties.