3,964 / 77.2% Yes votes ...... 1,171 / 22.8% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Meaning of Voting Yes/No

A YES vote of this measure means:

A "yes" vote on this measure would allow an additional special tax to be levied on all taxable parcels in the Menlo Park City Elementary School District in an amount of up to $73 per year to be adjusted annually by the San Francisco- Oakland-San Jose Metropolitan Area Consumer Price Index. It would also allow the appropriations (spending) limit to be raised.

A NO vote of this measure means:

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.

The California Constitution and state law authorize a school district, upon approval of two-thirds of the voting electorate, to levy a qualified special tax for specified purposes.

Presently, the Menlo Park City Elementary School District annually levies two special taxes totaling approximately $428 per parcel. One tax was adopted by the voters in April of 2000 at a rate of $298, adjusted annually by the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose Metropolitan Area Consumer Price Index, is currently collected at a rate of approximately $331 per parcel and has no expiration date.

The other tax, adopted by the voters in November of 1995 at a rate of $76 per parcel, adjusted annually by the same Consumer Index, is currently collected at a rate of approximately $97 per parcel and will expire on June 30, 2004.

By this measure, the Board of Trustees of the Menlo Park City Elementary School District proposes to collect an additional special tax beginning July 1, 2004. This additional tax shall be at a rate not to exceed $73 per year on all taxable parcels in the District to be adjusted annually by the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose Metropolitan Area Consumer Price Index or comparable index. 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 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 Trustees have listed the purposes of the special tax to be restoring programs lost due to state budget cuts, remedial math, reading, textbooks, materials, and preparing teachers for teaching math reading and science.

The proceeds of the special tax will be placed into a special account.

The Board of Trustees must file an annual report accounting for the parcel tax revenues collected and the manner in which they have been spent.

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.

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

The above statement is an impartial analysis of Measure B. If you desire a copy of the measure, please call the elections official's office at (650) 312-5222 and a copy will be mailed at no cost to you.

California's financial situation has resulted in drastic cuts in state education funding. As a result, the Menlo Park City Elementary School District has been forced to cut district spending by over $1 million this year. Additional cuts in the state education budget are anticipated.

Measure B will restore approximately half of those funds and allow the district to reinstate the most essential programs cut from the budget.

The investments made by local voters in our schools have allowed the district to maintain small class sizes and to preserve many classroom programs. However, some of the programs that make Menlo Park schools unique and the education provided to local students outstanding have been cut.

Measure B addresses these losses.

A YES vote on Measure B will:

• Restore remedial math and reading programs;
• Restore the budget for textbooks and classroom supplies; and
• Restore programs designed to ensure that Menlo Park's teachers are prepared to use the most effective math, reading and science teaching techniques.

The schools in Menlo Park reflect a long tradition of strong community support for quality classroom education. Today our local schools face extraordinary challenges.

On November 4th join us in voting Yes to meet those challenges.

Keep our schools strong. Vote Yes to Renew and Vote Yes to Restore

-- Vote Yes on Measures A and B.

/s/ John D. Jorgenson July 31, 2003 Former Menlo Park City Attorney

/s/ James K. MacKenzie August 4, 2003 Menlo-Atherton High School Teacher

/s/ Linda R. Meier July 29, 2003 Community Volunteer

/s/ Mike Montgomery July 25, 2003 Stanford University Men's Basketball Coach

/s/ Charles R. Schwab August 12, 2003 Business Executive

School Districts around the State have squandered tax dollars on class size reduction, which has been used as an emotional plea to increase funding for education. Of course it's nice to have more teacher student contact! That's why many parents choose to have their children tutored at home. And, they do this in spite of the enormous tax burden placed upon them to support government schools, which consume more than $10,000/year per student in K-12.

Class size reduction was a convenient way to fill the overbuilt facilities which were predicated on predictions of enrollment growth which failed to materialize.

At a time when the State's bond rating is in the tank , school districts should exercise fiscal restraint. It's time to say no to Parcel Taxes, and the divisive Senior exemptions which they employ to buy votes.

Vote NO on fiscal irresponsibility

Vote NO on Measure B

/s/ John J. "Jack" Hickey August 15, 2003 Chair, Libertarian Party of San Mateo County

The continued quality of the Menlo Park City Elementary schools dependent on the votes cast for Measure B:

• Every Yes vote on Measure B is a vote to restore only the most essential programs and services lost due to state budget cuts.

• Every No vote on Measure B is a vote to leave control of our schools in the hands of Sacramento's politicians # and deprive our children of the classroom excellence that this community values so highly.

Measure B is a modest and reasonable investment which will help keep our Laurel, Encinal, Oak Knoll and Hillview schools strong in the face of cuts in state funding.

Find out more details about Measure B at http://www.AboutMeasuresAandB.com.

Measures A and B reflect the values and concerns of our community. The future we all hope for is being shaped in local classrooms today.

Our opponents do not live in the school district and clearly do not understand the value local voters place on our schools, property values and the education of the children who live here.

Join us in voting to invest in the future of our community. We have the power to ensure that our local schools continue their longstanding tradition of excellence through local, stable sources of funding.

Keep our schools strong.

Vote Yes to Renew and Vote Yes to Restore.

Vote Yes on Measures A and B.

/s/ Marty Arscott August 22, 2003 Co-Chair, 1992 Parcel Tax Campaign, Menlo Park City Elementary School District

/s/ Bud Colligan August 21, 2003 Business Executive

/s/ Gordon Lewin August 19, 2003 Trustee, Sequoia Union High School District

/s/ Samuel Sinnott August 19, 2003 Architect

/s/ Lucile Spurlock August 19, 2003 Community Volunteer