See Also: Index of all Measures

An exemption is created for owners aged sixty-five (65) years or older who own and occupy a parcel.

Dated: December 17, 2004

Vote YES for Measure E because it:

• Represents NO NEW TAXES - this is simply a renewal of the existing funding measure which has not changed

• Keeps class sizes small - and prevents us from returning to 30 plus students per class

• Prevents us from having to lay off up to 20 of our most recently hired teachers - which would reduce our teaching staff by 20%

• Strengthens current and future property values for all residents because high-quality public schools remain a top priority for home buyers

• Ensures that your money will be spent wisely through stringent accountability and mandated annual audits.

The parcel tax provides critical funds (12.4% of the RVSD budget or $1.8 million) to our local K-8 schools which serve almost 1800 students. The parcel tax has played an indispensable role in building our outstanding reputation for excellence and the high achievement levels of our students.

Through a locally controlled funding source, Measure E will keep our K-8 schools strong + despite continued inadequate state funding.

Good schools are an asset to the whole community. Vote YES on Measure E on March 8th to keep our public schools strong. You'll be proud of your support.

s/ Harold Brown

Marin County Supervisor, District 2

s/ Nicola Cranmer

Fairfax Chamber of Commerce

s/ Lew Tremaine

Mayor of Fairfax

s/ Connie Rodgers

President, San Anselmo Chamber of Commerce

s/ Peter Breen

Mayor, San Anselmo

(No arguments against Measure E were submitted)

State funding for education has been inadequate and unpredictable, and without the funds provided by the current parcel tax assessment, the Ross Valley School District (Brookside, Manor, and Wade Thomas elementary schools and White Hill Middle School) would be forced to reduce or eliminate important programs beneficial and necessary to the children who attend the schools of the District; and

The voters of San Anselmo and Fairfax have consistently supported the District's excellent education program through the passage of local parcel taxes and bonds that have enabled the recruitment and retention of superior teachers and staff, small class sizes, and renovation of all local school facilities; and

The voters of the District previously authorized a special assessment which expires on June 30, 2006, and without a renewed authorization by the voters, a substantial reduction and elimination of educational programs and services will result; and

Such voter support for the Ross Valley schools by the community has tangible results in the form of consistently high student test scores and safely rebuilt community buildings; and

A high quality public education system preserves and protects the values of properties as well as the long term quality of life in our community; and

The Ross Valley School District cannot continue to maintain its excellent educational program without the continuation of the existing parcel tax, and without the parcel tax would be forced to significantly increase class sizes, lay-off teachers and staff, and cut vital programs; and

The Ross Valley School District has worked collaboratively with its schools community foundation, YES, and its local school parent organizations to fill in as much of the funding gap as possible through annual direct contributions; and

These community partners will continue to raise essential funds to provide art, music, poetry, and drama for students across the District as well as other site needs; and

The State of California's budget problems make increased state funding unlikely, and the federal government has withheld earmarked federal funds for such services as special education; and

The Ross Valley School District is committed to the highest standards of fiscal accountability and budget transparency, for which it has been publicly praised by the County; and must, by law, create a balanced three-year budget with a 3% reserve; and

Section 4 of Article XIIIA of the California Constitution and Government Code Sections 50075, 50076, 50077, 50079,53720, et. seq., authorize school districts to levy a special tax for specified purposes upon approval by two thirds of the votes cast.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Governing Board of the Ross Valley School District as follows:

Section 1: A special election is called and ordered and shall be conducted on March 8, 2005, at which election will be submitted to the qualified voters of the Ross Valley School District a measure to authorize a renewal of the existing special tax for the purpose of providing specified educational programs for a period of eight additional years. The full text of the measure is as follows:

ROSS VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT
RENEWAL OF PARCEL TAX FOR
PROTECTING QUALITY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
MEASURE E

To maintain excellence in public education, shall the Ross Valley School District (Brookside, Manor, and Wade Thomas elementary schools and White Hill Middle School) renew for eight years from its current expiration date (June 30, 2006) the existing special tax, and maintain the provisions for the annual increase in the tax, the set aside for maintaining health and safety related repairs, and the senior exemption for any beneficial owner of a parcel who is 65 or over and who uses that parcel as his or her principal place of residence?

The proceeds of the special tax will be used for the specific purposes listed below:
- Preserving high quality educational programs, and
- Maintaining educationally sound class sizes for kindergarten through eighth grade, and
- Maintaing school libraries and library services, and
- Maintaining the community's investment in its' school buildings.

Under the existing special tax, the rate increases by 4% per year, and the rate will be $244.70 per year per assessor's parcel on June 30, 2006. Under the renewed special tax, the 4% annual rate adjustments will continue beginning July 1, 2006, until the new expiration date of June 30, 2014.

In order to provide tax relief to senior citizens in the community, the senior exemption provided in the existing special tax will be continued; the exemption shall be granted for any parcel owned by one or more persons 65 years of age or over on or before July 1 of any applicable year who uses that parcel as his or her principal place of residence, upon application for exemption.

The District must provide accountability measures to ensure that: (1) the proceeds of the special tax are applied only to the specific purposes listed; (2) the proceeds of the special tax are deposited into a special account; (3) the District's chief fiscal officer files a report with Governing Board at least once a year regarding the amount of funds collected, expended and the status of projects funded by the special tax; and (4) in addition to the accountability measures required by law and described herein, an annual audit will be conducted to ensure that the proceeds of the special tax are used for the purposes identified.

Section 2: The text of the measure as displayed on each individual ballot shall be abbreviated and shall read as follows:

ROSS VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT
RENEWAL OF PARCEL TAX FOR
PROTECTING QUALITY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
MEASURE E

To maintain the high quality of education in Ross Valley Schools (with reduced class sizes and high student achievement) and to protect the quality of life and property values in our community, should the existing special tax for Ross Valley elementary and middle schools (12% of the District Budget) be continued for an additional eight years with audit and accountability measures and with an exemption for parcels owned and occupied by persons 65 and older?

Section 3: Subject to two-thirds approval of the voters, and commencing on July 1, 2006, the Marin County Tax Collector shall collect the special tax annually on all assessor's parcels at the rate specified above for a period of eight years. The Marin County Tax Collector shall collect and administer the special tax at the same time as, along with, and in the same manner as he/she fixes and collects ad valorem property taxes under provisions of the California Revenue and Taxation Code.

Section 4: The District shall provide all accountability measures required by Government code Sections 50075.1 and 50075.3 including, but not limited to the following:

- Ensuring that the proceeds of the special tax enacted by this Resolution shall be applied only to the specific purposes identified in this Resolution;

- Creating an account into which the proceeds of the special tax shall be deposited; and

- Ensuring that the District's chief fiscal officer files a report with the Governing Board at least once a year regarding the amount of funds collected and expended, and the status of any project required or authorized to be funded by the special tax.

Section 5: In addition to the accountability measures required by law and described in Section 4, the District shall require an annual audit of the proceeds of the special tax to ensure that they are used for the purposes identified in this Resolution.

Section 6: The authority for the specifications of this election order is contained in California Education Code Section 5322.

Section 7: The Ross Valley School District Governing Board President shall certify to the due adoption of this Resolution and no later than December 7, 2004 deliver a copy of the certified Resolution to the Marin County Superintendent of Schools and file a copy of the certified Resolution with the Marin County Clerk and the Marin County Board of Supervisors.

Section 8: Governing Board members, the District Superintendent , and District Officers are hereby authorized and directed individually and collectively to do any and all things and to execute, deliver, and perform any and all agreements and documents that they deem necessary or advisable in order to effectuate the purposes of this Resolution, including, without limitation, to prepare and submit for inclusion in the voter information pamphlet an argument in favor of passage of the ballot measure. All actions previously taken by the officers and agents of the District that are in conformity with the purposes and intent of this Resolution are hereby ratified, confirmed, and approved in all respects.

Section 9: The Governing Board request the Marin County Clerk and the Marin County Superintendent of Schools to take all steps necessary to call and hold the election on March 8, 2005, in accordance with law.

Section 10: The Governing Board requests the governing body of any other political subdivision, or any officer otherwise authorized by law, to consolidate partially or completely its election and to provide that the canvass be made by any body or official authorized by law to canvass the returns of the election, and the Board consents to this consolidation.

Section 11: If any section, subsection, phrase, or clause of this Resolution is for any reason held to be invalid, the invalidation shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Resolution. The Governing Board declares that it would have adopted this Resolution and each section, subsection, phrase, or clause of the Resolution irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, phrases, or clauses may be declared invalid.

PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of Trustees of the Ross Valley School District at a regular meeting held this 18th day of November, 2004, with minor language changes adopted at a special meeting held December 6th, 2004, by the following vote:

AYES: 5

NOES: 0

ABSTAIN: 0

ABSENT: 0

s/ W. Lee Pollard
President of the Board of Education
Ross Valley School District

ATTEST:

s/ Cheryl Crawley

Secretary of the Board of Education
Ross Valley School District

EXHIBIT A

FORM OF

FORMAL NOTICE OF PARCEL TAX ELECTION

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to the qualified electors of the Ross Valley School District of Marin County, California, that in accordance with the provisions of the Education Code and the Government Code of the State of California, an election will be held on March 8, 2005, for the purpose of submitting to the qualified electors of the District the proposition summarized as follows:

ROSS VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT RENEWAL OF PARCELTAX FOR PROTECTING QUALITY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS MEASURE E

To maintain the high quality of education in Ross Valley Schools (with reduced class sizes and high student achievement) and to protect the quality of life and property values in our community, should the existing special tax for Ross Valley elementary and middle schools (12% of the District Budget) be continued for an additional eight years with audit and accountability measures and with an exemption for parcels owned and occupied by persons 65 and older?

By execution of this formal Notice of Election the Marin County Superintendent of Schools orders consolidation of the election with such other elections as may be held on the same day in the same territory or in territory that is in part the same.

The Marin County Superintendent of Schools, by this Notice of Election, has called the election pursuant to a Resolution and Order of the Board of Education of the Ross Valley School District adopted November 18th, 2004, with minor language changes adopted at a special meeting held December 6th, 2004 in accordance with the provisions of Education Code Sections 5302,5325 and 5361.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 7th day, of December, 2004.

s/ Mary Jane Burke
County Superintendent of Schools
Marin County, California

SECRETARY'S CERTIFICATE

I, Cheryl Crawley, Secretary of the Board of Education of the Ross Valley School District, County of Marin, California, do hereby certify as follows:

The attached is a full, true and correct copy of a resolution duly adopted at a regular meeting of said Board of said District duly and regularly held at the regular meeting place thereof on November 18, 2004, with minor language changes adopted at a special meeting held December 6th, 2004, and entered in the minutes thereof, of which meeting all of the members of said Board of Education had due notice and at which a quorum thereof was present, and said resolution was adopted by the following vote:

AYES: 5

NOES: 0

ABSTAIN: 0

ABSENT: 0

The resolution was passed at a properly noticed Board meeting, and all legal requirements for posting and conducting the meeting were met.

I have carefully compared the same with the original minutes of said meeting on file and of record in my office. Said resolution has not been amended, modified or rescinded since the date of its adoption, and the same is now in full force and effect.

WITNESS my hand this 7 day of December, 2004.

s/ Cheryl Crawley
Secretary of the Board of Education
Ross Valley School District