League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Contra Costa County, CA May 6, 2014 Election
	Measure B Parcel Tax Extension Lafayette School District Parcel Tax - 2/3 Approval Required Passed--greater than 2/3 voted yes Pass: 6,504 / 73.1% Yes votes ...... 2,391 / 26.9% No votes See Also: Index of all Measures

Arguments For Measure B

Arguments Against Measure B

Without raising tax rates, Measure B will continue critical local funding for core academic programs in math, science, English, technology, and the arts to prepare Lafayette School District students for success in high school and beyond. Lafayette schools are among the highest performing schools in California. The strong academic achievement in our local schools contributes to the quality of life in Lafayette and helps protect local property values. Measure B renews existing local taxes that are expiring. It does not increase tax rates. For over 20 years, our community has generously supported our neighborhood schools by approving local revenue measures. Our schools rely on this generous support to provide a high-quality education to Lafayette students. Measure B simply extends the local funding that homeowners already pay. Measure B will provide vital funding to preserve: Core academic programs in math, science, English, and technology The ability to attract and retain highly qualified teachers and school employees Continued support for art and music programs Up-to-date textbooks and instructional materials, classroom computers and technology, and science labs Manageable class sizes Without approval of Measure B, significant cuts will need to be made to core academic programs. Measure B merely continues the financial support that Lafayette residents have historically approved, without raising tax rates. Measure B will continue the local funding that our community provides to our elementary and middle school students. NO funds can be taken away by the State or used for other purposes. Measure B funds can only be spent on programs listed in the measure and approved by voters. Mandatory annual audits will ensure that all funds are spent properly. Senior citizens will be offered an exemption. Please continue your support of Lafayette schools. Please vote Yes on Measures A and B. Ed Stokes, Owner, Diablo Foods, 44-year resident Dana Green, Realtor and Parent Erling L. Horn, Former Mayor Toni McShane, Assistant Vice Principal, Stanley Middle School, 40-year educator David Douglas, Business Owner, 50-year resident Rebuttal to Arguments For Corruption and contradictions rule Lafayette. Many residents believe the incredibly corrupt media. " A 3% annual cost of living adjustment". Contradicts, "Without increasing existing tax rates". Why do they say; "All money staying in Lafayette"? Is it guilt? Many newer Lafayette residents are paying over $14,000 annual property tax. Superintendent Fred Brill said this windfall leaves Lafayette. Voters always make up for whatever the State takes away. That's a good way to encourage the State to take more California voters raised income and sales taxes for schools. Did that money fund Lafayette's ridiculous brick crosswalks and subsidized housing instead? Why does Lafayette have two school districts? School districts and local governments need to consolidate. Cut administrative overhead. "Attract and maintain highly qualified teachers", contradicts reality. Tenure rules teachers pay. Not quality or performance. There's never been a shortage of teachers wanting to work in Lafayette. Art, music and history should be taught by volunteers. Competitive sports leagues wanting more playing fields, coincides with the schools wanting more money. Competitive sports lawyers always cry poor when they are asked to pay their fair share. Lafayette's corrupt puppet politicians never tell people they always subsidize competitive youth sports leagues over education. Lafayette's sports fields are closed to the public. What's fair about that? Annual audits and senior exemptions are shams. Are the tax proponents to stupid and lazy to count bedrooms or figure square footage? All current supporters of this tax anticipate monetary benefits. How corrupt can they get ? Bruce R. Peterson, Private citizen

Wow! An annual cost of living adjustment. That could mean anything. Tax money is squandered on trains, consultants and overpaid, arrogant administrators. What the public wants the most, is always on the ballot. It's usually schools, more schools, then roads. Then public money is squandered on everything else. When will the foolish public wise up? With $651 or more, that could easily be kept off their property tax bills, some people might wise up. The senior exemption is a trick to convince people to vote their own home's future owners, out of their money. Some seniors won't remember to apply, fill out, or return their exemption form. They will be gouged without mercy. Some seniors file their exemption, then promote tax increases.. Propagandists use treacherous tactics and the corrupt media, to promote their cause. Wealthy folks and huge rental complexes, are charged the same amount as the poorest person in the district. What's fair about that? If voters ever wise up enough to vote against every tax that appears on the ballot, the bureaucracies will have to become more efficient. But no! They keep squandering money. Many bureaucracies go into debt, with no easy way out. Propagandists will do everything possible to convince people NOT to read this free fine print against their tax. Politicians never want people to ask questions. This tax was announced days before the deadline for filing arguments. How's that for trying to cheat? I can't find a news source that will write anything slightly detrimental about the politicians or their parcel taxes. The media always insults tax opponents. However you vote, it's 100% certain, the politicians and their media comrades will demand more money from you. Bruce R. Peterson, Private citizen Rebuttal to Arguments Against The opponent of Measure B deliberately misleads voters with inaccurate and untrue statements. Here are the facts: Measure B consolidates the two parcel taxes that Lafayette residents are already paying. It does not increase tax rates. Repeat, Measure B merely consolidates the two taxes that residents are already paying. Without Measure B, educational programs will be cut, the number of classes will be reduced, class sizes will increase, fewer teachers will be hired and art and music programs will be cut. Every penny raised by Measure B will stay in Lafayette to benefit local children. Measure B funds are only used to support instruction. No money will be spent on buildings or administrators. Lafayette is not unique. Surrounding school districts have parcel taxes to supplement minimal state funding. While we all wish the State would provide more funding for Lafayette schools, unfortunately it does not. Communities that value public education have all found it necessary to supplement state funding. Senior citizens can apply to be exempt from Measure B. Mandatory audits are required to ensure funds are spent properly. Studies have shown that the number one factor in maintaining property values is the quality of local schools. Measure B is an investment in our own community. Lafayette parents, teachers, community leaders, senior citizens, business leaders ALL support Measure B. Please support Lafayette schools. Please support Measure B. Thank you. Kathy Bowles, 2005 Lafayette Citizen of the Year, Past President Stanley, PTA, Past President, LASF (LPIE) Brian E. Aiello, 2014 Lafayette Business Person of the Year Colleen A. McCormick, Business Owner, LaMorinda Music Rick Cronk, Retired Business Owner, Active Community Leader Meredith Meade, Parent, Chair, RAPPORT, Past President, Lafayette PTA

Full Text of Measure B

INTRODUCTION Lafayette School District is one of the best school districts in California. Exceptional teachers, challenging programs and support from the community contribute to high student achievement. The District is committed to maintaining a high-quality educational program for all students within the District and securing adequate funding to meet that purpose. The District has made every effort to minimize the impact of previous State funding cuts to the District, including cutting administrator and nonteaching staff and works to maximize revenues from parent/community donations, grants and other funding sources. Without the continued local revenue provided by this parcel tax measure, the District will be required to make substantial cuts to educational and other programs, and to reduce classroom staffing, all of which will negatively impact the current high quality of District educational programs and schools. The purpose of the measure is to preserve and continue high-quality education in the Lafayette School District and to fund the following specific programs and services: Core academic programs in math, science and technology The ability to attract and retain highly qualified teachers and school employees Continued support for art and music programs Up-to-date textbooks and instructional materials, classroom computers, technology and science labs Manageable class sizes TERMS Without increasing existing tax rates, and to preserve high quality academic programs in Lafayette elementary and middle schools in math, science, art, and music; attract and retain highly qualified teachers; keep classroom technology, science labs and instructional materials up-to-date, and maintain manageable class sizes, shall Lafayette School District extend the expiring $539 local school tax, with an exemption for seniors, an annual cost-of-living adjustment, and with all money staying in Lafayette to benefit our public schools? The District intends to use funds collected pursuant to this measure to help finance all of the programs listed above, unless the Board determines in any given year that changes in student population, fiscal constraints, or other changes in state or federal funding make doing so infeasible or inadvisable. A. Amount and Basis of Tax The special tax shall be $539 per Parcel of Taxable Real Property beginning on July 1, 2015. To account for the impact of inflation on the cost of delivering the classroom programs and student services supported by the qualified special tax, the tax rate shall be increased annually to account for inflation pursuant to this provision. Each year, the qualified special tax rate shall be increased to account for inflation by the average of the reported periodic annual percentage changes in the Consumer Price Index-All Urban Consumers, San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose area (Series CUURA422SA0) over the prior twelve months, as of April of each year, as published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; provided, however that the annual increase in the tax shall not exceed 3% per year, but in no case be less than 0% per year. Any increase shall be rounded to the nearest dollar. In the event the Consumer Price Index-All Urban Consumers, San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose area (Series CUURA422SA0) is no longer published, the Board shall adopt a comparable index of general price levels as it shall determine. The District shall provide the Contra Costa County Tax Collector ("County Tax Collector") a report indicating the parcel number and amount of tax for each Parcel of Taxable Real Property. To the extent allowed by law "Parcel of Taxable Real Property" shall be defined as: (a) Any unit of real property wholly or partially in the District that receives a separate tax bill for ad valorem property taxes from the County Tax Collector. (b) All property that is otherwise exempt from or upon which are levied no ad valorem property taxes in any year shall not be considered a Parcel of Taxable Real Property for purposes of the special tax in such year. If any portion of this definition is deemed contrary to law, the Board declares and the voters by approving the Measure concur, that every other section and part of this definition has independent value, and the Board and voters would have adopted each other section and part hereof regardless of every other section or part hereof. If all sections or parts of this definition are deemed contrary to law, "Parcel of Taxable Real Property" shall be defined as any real property wholly or partially in the District assigned an assessor's parcel number. B. Exemptions Under procedures adopted by the District, upon application an exemption from payment of the special tax may be granted on any parcel owned by one or more persons who is/are sixty-five (65) years of age or over and occupying said parcel as a principal residence ("Senior Citizen Exemption"). The District shall annually provide to the Contra Costa County Tax Collector ("County Tax Collector") or other appropriate County official a list of parcels that the District has approved for an exemption. C. Claim / Exemption Procedures With respect to all general property tax matters within its jurisdiction, the County Tax Collector or other appropriate County tax official shall make all final determinations of tax exemption or relief for any reason, and that decision shall be final and binding. With respect to matters specific to the levy of the special tax, including the Senior Citizen Exemption, the application of the definition of "Parcel of Taxable Real Property" to any parcel(s) or any other disputed matter specific to the application of the special tax, the decisions of the District shall be final and binding. The procedures described herein, and any additional procedures established by the Board shall be the exclusive claims procedure for claimants seeking an exemption, refund, reduction, or re-computation of the special tax. Whether any particular claim is to be resolved by the District or by the County shall be determined by the District, in coordination with the County as necessary. D. Appropriations Limit Pursuant to California Constitution and applicable laws, the appropriations limit for the District will be adjusted periodically by the aggregate sum collected by levy of this special tax. E. Accountability Measures 1. Specific Purposes. The proceeds of the special tax shall be applied only to the specific purposes identified above. 2. Annual Reports. The proceeds of the special tax shall be deposited into a fund, which shall be kept separate and apart from other funds of the District, pursuant to the Government Code. No later than December 31 of each year while the tax is in effect, the District shall prepare and file with the Board a report detailing the amount of funds collected and expended during the prior fiscal year, and the status of any project authorized to be funded by this measure. The report may relate to the calendar year, fiscal year, or other appropriate annual period, as said officer shall determine, and may be incorporated into or filed with the annual budget, audit, or other appropriate routine report to the Board. F. Protection of Funding Current law forbids any decrease in State or federal funding to the District resulting from the adoption of an education parcel tax. However, if any such funding is reduced or affected because of the adoption of this local funding measure, then the Board may reduce the amount of the special taxes levied as necessary in order to restore such State or federal funding and/or maximize the District's fiscal position for the benefit of the educational program. As a result, whether directly or indirectly, no funding from this measure may be taken away by the State or federal governments. G. Severability The Board hereby declares, and the voters by approving this measure concur, that every section and part of this measure has independent value, and the Board and the voters would have adopted each provision hereof regardless of every other provision hereof. Upon approval of this measure by the voters, should any part of the measure or taxing formula be found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid for any reason, all remaining parts of the measure or taxing formula hereof shall remain in full force and effect to the fullest extent allowed by law.