League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	San Mateo County, CA May 8, 2012 Election
	Measure R Fairmont Drive Territory Belmont-Redwood Shores School District Majority Approval Required Pass: 29 / 90.6% Yes votes ...... 3 / 9.4% No votes See Also: Index of all Measures

Arguments For Measure R

The San Mateo County Office of Education Committee unanimously approved the petition to transfer 47 properties located on Fairmont Drive, from the Belmont School Districts to the San Mateo School Districts. The committee in making its decision to approve the petition was unanimous and prior to doing so evaluated the criteria of nine key items which were established by the California Department of Education. Regarding the examination of the nine criteria in consideration of the petition, the Committee concluded unanimously that each criterion had been satisfied. Due to the fact that the Belmont-Redwood Shores and Sequoia Union High School Districts are opposed to this transfer, a special election is now required. It should be noted that the San Mateo-Foster City and the San Mateo Union High School districts have endorsed the petition. The impacted residents of Fairmont Drive, San Mateo, CA 94402 (even number properties 2020 - 2098 and odd numbered properties 2025 - 2089) are seeking a YES VOTE in order to transfer all impacted properties on Fairmont Drive to the San Mateo/Foster City and the San Mateo Union High School districts. Under the current system, San Mateo Union High is forfeiting valuable education tax dollars due to an antiquated system which unjustly benefits the Belmont School districts while preventing the San Mateo Union High School District from receiving any state education resources. Under the current system, San Mateo Union High School District does not receive any funds from the state for educating students within the impacted portion of Fairmont Drive. Also under the current system, the State of California is paying education dollars twice in order to educate the Fairmont children who attend San Mateo/Foster City schools which is in part because of a long standing policy established many years ago by the Belmont School districts. This not only amounts to "double dipping" of state funds to educate the Fairmont Drive children but it also results in a waste of public funds at the expense of the California taxpayer. California deserves a more cost effective use of public funds and this petition represents an important step in an effort to reduce government waste. While Belmont School District officials have advocated that we leave the Fairmont Drive property taxes as is (or status quo), it clearly underscores the need for state government reform as to neighboring Basic Aid Districts and Revenue Limit Districts. Without such reform, the State of California will be adversely impacted by situtations such as this where state funds are allocated to a neighboring Basic Aid District such as Belmont which would be incentivized to transfer the Fairmont Drive students to the neighboring Revenue Limit District of San Mateo/Foster City. By approving the ballot measure, all Fairmont Drive students will have greater certainty and access to the same schools in which the rest of Fairmont Drive and the surrounding neighborhood of Queens and Kings Street are permitted to attend. Fairmont Drive property owners and future Fairmont Drive property owners will not be adversely impacted by the previous challenges related to school assignment and the allocation of education taxes to Belmont rather than San Mateo. (No arguments against Measure R were submitted)

Full Text of Measure R

This ballot measure proposes to reorganize the Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary and Sequoia Union High School districts and the San Mateo/Foster City and San Mateo Union High School districts by changing the boundaries of the four school districts so that the parcels of real property currently consisting of 47 residences located between the even numbers of 2020-2098 and the odd numbers of 2025-2089 Fairmont Drive in San Mateo, California 94402 ("the territory"), which is currently located within the Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary and the Sequoia Union High School districts, will be located within the San Mateo/Foster City and San Mateo Union High School districts; with all the rights and responsibilities of other residents of those school districts. Owners of parcels within the territory would be subjected to all taxes and other obligations of other parcels within the San Mateo/Foster City and San Mateo Union High School districts. A parcel will be defined as any unit of land that now receives a separate tax bill from the County Assessor's Office.