3,548 / 61.6% Yes votes ...... 2,210 / 38.4% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Meaning of Voting Yes/No

A YES vote of this measure means:

A two-thirds "yes" vote on this measure would repeal the existing $40 and $64 special taxes and allow a new special tax in an amount of up to $297 per year per taxable parcel to be levied and would allow the spending limit to be raised.

A NO vote of this measure means:

A "no" vote on this measure would retain the existing special taxes of $40 and $64, not allow the special tax to be levied and would not allow the appropriations limit to be raised.

In 1993, the voters in the Burlingame Elementary School District approved a special tax in an amount of $64 per year per parcel. In 1997, the voters extended the $64 tax and approved an additional special tax of $40, both of which expire June 30, 2005. By this measure, the District's Board of Trustees propose to repeal the existing special taxes and to levy a new special tax for a period of eight years beginning July 1, 2002 and ending June 30, 2010. This tax shall be at a rate not to exceed $297 per year, adjusted annually by changes in the Consumer Price Index for the Bay Area, but in no event shall increase by more than 4% per year, on all taxable parcels in the District.

A parcel shall be defined as any unit of land in the District which now receives a separate tax bill from San Mateo County. Any person 65 years of age or older who owns and occupies a parcel as a principal residence may qualify for an exemption from the special tax. All property which would otherwise be exempt from property taxes will also be exempt from imposition of this special tax.

The purposes of the special tax are to: attract and maintain teachers; maintain class size and fund specialized instructional programs such as music, physical education, English language instruction, early literacy, special education and library services.

This measure would also increase the District's appropriations limit per fiscal year, in an amount equal to the levy of the special tax for that year, as permitted by Article XIIIB, section 4 of the California Constitution.

A "yes" vote on this measure would repeal the existing $40 and $64 special taxes and allow a new special tax to be levied on property within the boundaries of the Burlingame Elementary School District in an amount of up to $297 per year per taxable parcels in the District, adjusted annually by changes in the Consumer Price Index for the Bay Area but in no event shall increase by more than 4% per year. It would also allow the appropriations (spending) limit to be raised.

A "no" vote on this measure would retain the existing special taxes of $40 and $64, not allow the special tax to be levied and would not allow the appropriations limit to be raised.

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

Parcel Tax Resolution

The District has aggressively eliminated all nonessential spending and, at the same time, continues to search for funding from a wide range of sources. These efforts have been watched and assisted by financially qualified community members. The Board has determined that increasing our Parcel Tax is necessary in order to maintain the quality of our schools.

The money raised by Measure F will be used to:

Attract and retain quality teachers.
Maintain small class size.
Maintain outstanding music, physical education, special education, and library programs.

Measure F will replace the two existing parcel taxes and increase the total by $193 to $297 per year per taxable parcel. This tax terminates in eight years. The amount will be adjusted each year by the local consumer price index but any annual increase will be limited to 4%. Anyone 65 years of age or older may make a one-time application for an exemption for a parcel they own and occupy. A Citizens Oversight Committee will monitor and report on spending to assure that the funds are spent in accordance with the Measure.

Passage of Measure F is critical to prevent the further loss of qualified teachers and academic programs. All money raised by Measure F will remain in our community to benefit our students and our local elementary schools.

/s/ Vic Mangini
Former Burlingame City Mayor

/s/ Annette J. DeMaria
McKinley Elementary School Teacher

/s/ Karen Key
Burlingame Taxpayer

/s/ Robert Welch
Burlingame Senior Citizen

/s/ Rosemary Osterling
Former Burlingame PTA Council President

$8,115,303
$9,039,448
$9,610,250
$10,375,284
$11,550,076
$13,082,702
$13,604,723
$13,649,801

After receiving almost $90 million during the last 8 years, the school's faculty should be happy with good wages, and the school's buildings should be in sparkling shape. If they're not, it's time to take a look at the management. The taxpayers have done their part.

They tell you that 5.5 positions were eliminated, but they omit to mention that average daily attendance has fallen 3 three years in a row - declining from 2401 students to 2295 students. Teaching positions declined to 113.6 last year - but, in comparison, they had only 80.3 teachers in 1992!

Add it up: This is a $2,700 tax (@CPI=3.7%), collected over 8 years. For less fortunate residents who carry the balance on their credit cards, that's $5,700, with interest. That money could make the difference to someone trying to buy health insurance, or pay the rent or a mortgage. Have a heart. Vote 'NO'.

/s/ Christopher VA Schmidt
Lincoln Elementary '72

/s/ John J. Hickey
Chair, Libertarian Party of San Mateo County

The district has gone tax crazy, passing 5 different bond and parcel tax measures in the last 8 years. It's still collecting 2 of those parcel taxes, passed in 1997, which add up to $800,000 per year. Meanwhile, regular property taxes have increased 54% during the last 7 years, bringing in $3 million more per year than in 1993 - rendering the older parcel taxes superfluous, and the proposed parcel tax absurd. (That's an average increase of 6.3% per year.) Does their greed know no bounds?

Spending over $13 million each year on 2300 students amounts to over $115,000 for each classroom of 20 students. That's enough to pay teachers good wages and leave plenty for maintenance and overhead. - And those taxes keep increasing every year.

Working within a budget. Does the District really need more money than we already give it in property taxes and state and federal income taxes? We say 'No'.

Some of our residents operate closer to the edge of personal insolvency than the District ever has. It is not right to ask them to pay extra taxes because some people on the district payroll have become greedy.

Please vote 'No', and demand that the District operate within its regular budget.

/s/ John J. Hickey
Chair, Libertarian Party of San Mateo County

/s/ Christopher VA Schmidt
Retired Computer Professional

Here are the facts. Measure F will cost Burlingame property owners less than 82 cents a day. That's it.

Money generated from Measure F will allow the Burlingame Elementary School District to do the following:

• Attract and retain qualified teachers
• Maintain small class size
• Maintain instructional programs

• Replaces the two existing parcel taxes
• Terminates in eight years
• Any annual increase will be limited to 4% per year
• Anyone 65 years of age or older may apply for an exemption for a parcel they own and occupy
• A Citizens Oversight Committee will monitor and report on spending

Measure F funds will stay in Burlingame and benefit every citizen. Good schools help maintain property values.

Do not be misled. Vote YES on Measure F.

/s/ Nancy Batchelor
Burlingame Resident

/s/ Clara Crook
Senior Citizen

/s/ John Kelly
Burlingame Resident/Past Executive Director of Samaritan House

/s/ Mary Janney
Burlingame Councilwoman/Past Burlingame Mayor

/s/ Mark Showen, M.D.
Burlingame Physician

(a) Attracting and retaining highly-qualified teachers and other employees;

(b) Maintaining small class size;

(c) Funding specialized programs such as music, physical education, English language instruction, early literacy, special education and library services and the specialists needed to teach such programs.

An exemption shall be granted for any parcel owned by one or more persons 65 years of age or over who occupies said parcel as a principal residence, upon one-time application for exemption.

This Measure will also increase the District's Gann Appropriation Limit in an amount equal to the levy of special taxes for said year, as permitted by Article XIIIB, Section 4 of the California Constitution. This increase is required for the District to use the revenues generated by the tax. This measure will repeal the existing $64 and $40 parcel taxes.

To insure additional accountability, a community budget advisory committee shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees whose principal functions will be to monitor the expenditures of these funds by the District and to report on an annual basis to the community on how these funds have been spent.