3,505 / 61.4% Yes votes ...... 2,202 / 38.6% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

By this measure, the Board of Trustees of the Cabrillo Unified School District propose to levy a special tax for a period of three years beginning July 1, 2002 and ending June 30, 2005. This tax shall be at a rate not to exceed $75 per year on all taxable parcels in the District.

A parcel shall be defined as any unit of land, developed or undeveloped, wholly or partially located within the district, for which the County Assessor have assigned an assessor's identification number. However, any such parcels which are contiguous, used solely for owner-occupied single family residential purposes and held under identical ownership, shall upon approval of an application of the owners of such parcel, be treated as a single parcel for purposes of this special tax.

Any property owner aged 65 years or older may qualify for an exemption from the special tax. Parcels designated by the County Assessor's office as land code "00" or "50" and considered vacant land, shall be exempt from the special tax upon annual approval of an application of such owner.

The stated purposes of the special tax are to maintain and continue the following programs and services: retention of the class sizes for kindergarten through third grade and high school English classes, reading assistance to all students, transportation services, library programs, middle and high school guidance counseling, advanced placement and honors programs, athletic programs and custodial 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 allow a special tax to be levied on property within the boundaries of the Cabrillo Unified School District in an amount of up to $75 per year per taxable parcels in the District. It would also allow the appropriations (spending) limit to be raised.

A "no" vote on this measure would 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."

San Mateo County Times

• Cabrillo Takes Low Profile on Tax Measure

• CUSD opts for cautious path on parcel tax - History of decision process by the Governing Board

For information about the Cabrillo Unified School District

In favor of Measure A

Opposed to Measure A

No official website known at this time.

A parcel tax is the only way for the school district to raise the money needed to save these programs and services. While this community has passed a bond issue to modernize and improve school facilities, the law does not permit that money to be spent on educational programs. Nor can the district address the state funding cuts by reducing administrative costs, because it has already cut administrative and other support services to the bone. CUSD's administrative costs, by any measure, are the lowest of any district in San Mateo County.

Make no mistake: without the additional funding that this parcel tax would generate, many valuable programs (including literacy programs, advanced placement classes, school athletic programs, reduced class sizes, and the school bus program) will be severely curtailed or eliminated altogether.

Measure A will cost property owners only $75 per year for 3 years, or less than $1.50 a week. It exempts vacant parcels and parcels owned by individuals over 65 years of age. None of the proceeds will be used for administration.

The local dollars generated by this parcel tax will be a direct investment in Coastside children. Please support our children by voting YES on Measure A.

/s/ Benjamin A Pittenger
Member/President
Cabrillo Unified Teachers' Association

/s/ Penny Offholter
Member/President
California School Employees' Association, Chapter 485

/s/ Cheri A. Robison
Member/President
Cunha Intermediate School Parent Teacher Association

/s/ Naomi Patridge
Former Mayor and City Council Member
City of Half Moon Bay

/s/ Cara A Schmaljohn
Director, Senior Coastsiders

Has the Cabrillo Unified School District given consideration to those who find curricula repugnant or otherwise flawed? Parents and other individuals, who, given relief from the excess taxes supporting government schools, would support alternative education providers?

Have they considered how the compulsory aspect of the government system, which produces unwilling participants, has forced class size reductions to maintain discipline?

We need a policy of REAL choice. A policy which will shrink the "marketshare" of students held in government institutions from the current 90%. Such a policy demands tax relief for those who would choose a better, more efficient alternative. And, as enrollment in government institutions declines, it will free up resources now being wasted by the inefficiencies of the education monopoly.

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

The District offers exemption from the "parcel tax" to property owners over 65. This is an insult to seniors, and a blatant attempt to "buy" votes. Why not exempt childless property owners as well? Buy a few more votes.

Government schools now account for almost 90% of K-12 students. Many parents have reconciled themselves to government schools. What choice do they have? Parents feed, clothe and shelter their children. Why should education of their children be either:

• beyond their financial means, or:
• beyond their ability to manage.
The answer is simple ---

All things accounted for, government schools in California consume more than $10,000/student. Parents, unburdened by taxes supporting this highly inefficient government system, could easily provide a better education at a fraction of the cost. Many, enduring the hardship of paying twice for education, already do.

Parents who choose alternative education for their children are given no relief from taxes collected for government schools. Childless taxpayers, who might choose to support alternative education providers, likewise would receive no relief.

We can restore individual liberty by:

• Supporting individual responsibility and choice in education.
• Reversing growth of the government schooling monopoly.
• Providing tax relief for those who choose to support alternative education.

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

The District has no other source of revenue to make up the anticipated budget shortfall. The District can not use the money from the bond issue to fund classroom education.

A parcel tax is the only way to ensure that the State budget crisis will not jeopardize the quality of education in our local schools. Specifically, the proceeds of the parcel tax will be used:

1. To keep kindergarten through third grade class sizes at 20 students, rather than returning to 34-36 students in a class;

2. To maintain literacy programs that provide reading assistance to all students;

3. To preserve transportation services (e.g. the school bus program);

4. To avoid cuts in the school libraries;

5. To avoid reducing our quality middle and high school guidance counseling programs;

6. To continue with reduced English class size at the high school;

7. To maintain Advanced Placement and Honors classes;

8. To continue funding school athletic programs that may not survive without such funding;

9. To maintain our current level of custodial services.

Without additional funding, these programs will be severely curtailed or eliminated altogether.

We need your help to maintain the quality educational programs currently provided in our schools.
Please support our children by voting YES on Measure A.

/s/ Deborah Ruddock
Former Mayor and City Council Member
City of Half Moon Bay

/s/ Naomi Patridge
Former Mayor and City Council Member
City of Half Moon Bay

/s/ John Moseley
Member/President Parent Teacher Assoc.
El Granada Elementary School

/s/ Jan Grierson
Elementary Teacher

/s/ Rick Bertolucci
Supervisor of Custodial Services
Cabrillo Unified School District

1. Keeping smaller classes in kindergarten through third grade;

2. Sustaining reading assistance to all students;

3. Maintaining transportation services;

4. Maintaining library programs;

5. Continuing quality middle and high school guidance counseling programs;

6. Keeping intact small English classes at the high school;

7. Continuing advanced placement and honors classes;

8. Maintaining current athletic programs;

9. Maintaining custodial services.

Shall the Cabrillo Unified School District be authorized to levy a special tax of $ 75.00 on each parcel within the District, each year for three years?

Pursuant to Section 50075.1(b) of the Government Code, no program or reduction on other than the above shall be funded by the proceeds of the special tax.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL ANY OF THE PROCEEDS OF THE TAX BE USED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SALARIES.

The term "Parcel" shall mean any parcel of land, developed or undeveloped, wholly or partially located within the District, for which the San Mateo County Assessors have assigned an assessor's identification number. However, any such parcels which are contiguous, used solely for owner-occupied single-family residential purposes and held under identical ownership, shall, upon approval of an application of the owners of such parcel, be treated as a single parcel for purposes of the special tax. Additionally, any owners of parcels designated by the San Mateo County Assessor's office as land code "00" or "50" and considered vacant land, shall be exempt from the special tax upon annual approval of an application of such owner.

Pursuant to Section 50079(b) of the Government Code, any owners,65 years of age or older, shall be exempt from the special tax upon annual approval of an application of such owner submitted to this Board.

Pursuant to Section 50075.1(c) of the Government Code, the District shall create or cause to be created an account into which the proceeds of the special tax shall be deposited.

Pursuant to Section 50075.1(d) of the Government Code, the District shall file the annual reports required by Section 50075.3 of the Government Code.

Pursuant to California Constitution Article XIIB, the appropriations limit for the Cabrillo Unified School District shall be increased by the aggregate sum collected by the levy of the special tax in each of the years for which the special tax is authorized.

1. This measure shall be submitted to the voters of the district at a regular election to be held on Tuesday, March 5, 2002, and shall take effect immediately upon its confirmation by two-thirds (2/3) of such voters upon the measure at such election.

2. This Board requests that the District election be consolidated with any and all elections to be held on Tuesday, March 5, 2002.

3. This Board requests that the San Mateo County Registrars/ Recorders carry out all necessary duties in connection with the consolidated election, including printing mailing sample ballots; arguments and applications for absentee ballots; providing adequate polling places; canvassing returns and certifying the results to this Board; and all other election duties prescribed by law.

4. The Clerk of this Board is ordered and directed to cause notices of the holding of such special election to be given by publishing a copy of this Resolution in a local newspaper of general circulation within the District, once a week for two (2) successive weeks, the first publication to be made not less than fifteen (15) days before the date of such special election.

5. The Clerk of this Board is further ordered and directed to cause further notices of the holding of such special election to be given by posting a copy of this Resolution on or near the door of the District's office and in three (3) public places within the District for at least two (2) weeks before the time fixed for such special election.

6. Subject to voter approval, the San Mateo County controller is authorized to place the special tax as a change on the tax roll commencing with the 2002-2003 fiscal year, and the San Mateo County Tax Collector is authorized to collect the special tax at the same time as and in the same manner and subject to the same penalties and interest as the unpaid ad valorem property taxes until paid.

7. The collection of the special tax provided for herein shall not decrease the funds available from other sources of the District in any period from the effective date hereof.

8. If any portion of this Resolution is for any reason held to be invalid, such holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Resolution. This Board declares that it would have adopted this Resolution irrespective of the fact that any portion may be held to be invalid.