League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Contra Costa County, CA November 6, 2012 Election
	Measure C Parcel Tax Martinez Unified School District 2/3 Approval Required Pass: 8924 / 68.95% Yes votes ...... 4018 / 31.05% No votes See Also: Index of all Measures

Arguments For Measure C

Arguments Against Measure C

Measure for Academic Excellence The schools in the Martinez Unified School District are an asset to our community. Our students achieve excellent test scores and perform above the average on all State tests. The support of the Martinez community has played a major role in this success. Over the past five years, severe cutbacks in the State budget have impacted the District's ability to continue to attract and retain highly qualified teachers and maintain student programs. Voters approved a parcel tax measure in 2008 to augment diminishing state funding, which has proved to be a sound investment: however the program is scheduled to end next year. With likely continued State budget shortfalls, the parcel tax program is vital to the high academic achievement of our students. For this reason, our District's expiring parcel tax should be extended. MEASURE C will extend the current program for five years, and will avoid cuts in funding classroom technology and equipment and music, art, and band programs. The Measure will provide support for an enriched set of academic pathways which will lead our students to college and good-paying careers. MEASURE C WILL SUPPORT HIGH ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS BY: Funding art, music, and band programs Maintaining school library services Updating classroom technology and equipment Maintaining low student-teacher ratios in our classrooms Providing school counselors to help students prepare for college and work MEASURE C HAS TAXPAYERS SAFEGUARDS INCLUDING: A maximum term of five years Exemption for senior citizens age 65 and over Annual expenditure audits and an independent citizens' oversight committee to ensure the money is spent as promised, and no money will be spent on administrator salaries MEASURE C does not increase existing taxes. It will however guarantee reliable funding to support the academ ic achievement of our students. Roberta J. Horack, MUSD Board President Marilyn Prouette, Teacher Diane L. Beck, Community Parent Gary Hernandez, Business Owner Nancy K. Hubert, Retired Rebuttal to Arguments For None filed.

None filed.

Full Text of Measure C

MARTINEZ UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PARCEL TAX MEASURE OF 2012 This Measure may be known and referred to as the "Martinez Unified School District Parcel Tax Measure of 2012" or as "Measure C". TERMS OF QUALIFIED SPECIAL TAX Type and Rate of Qualified Special Tax. Upon approval of two-thirds of those voting on this measure, the Martinez Unified School District (the "District") shall be authorized to levy a qualified special tax (the "Qualified Special Tax") of $50 per year on each parcel of taxable real property in the District for no more than five (5) years, commencing July 1, 2014. Specific Purposes. The proceeds of the Qualified Special Tax shall be authorized to be used to fund (a) educational programs that provide college and career pathways; (b) the maintenance of student-teacher ratios; (c) classroom technology equipment, fixtures and infrastructure; and (d) art, music and band programs, library services and counselors, in each case, to supplement, and offset cuts to, education funding by the State of California. Senior Citizen Exemption. In order to provide tax relief to senior citizens within the District, any parcel owned and occupied by a person 65 years of age or older shall be exempt from the Qualified Special Tax upon proper application to the District. The exemption shall be available pursuant to procedures to be prescribed by the Board of Education of the District (the "Board of Education") or otherwise as required by law or by the Treasurer and Tax Collector (the "Tax Collector") of the County of Contra Costa (the "County"). ACCOUNTABILITY PROVISIONS Independent Citizens' Oversiqht Committee. The Board of Education shall establish an independent citizens' oversight committee comprised of such members as the Board of Education shall determine to review expenditures of the proceeds of the Qualified Special Tax in order to ensure that such proceeds are applied only to authorized purposes. Annual Report. Upon the levy and collection of the Qualified Special Tax, the Board of Education shall cause an account to be established into which the proceeds of the Qualified Special Tax shall be deposited. For so long as any proceeds of the Qualified Special Tax remain unexpended, the chief fiscal officer of the District shall cause a report to be filed with the Board of Education no later than January 1 of each year, commencing January 1, 2016, stating (a) the amount of Qualified Special Tax collected and expended in such year, and (b) the status of any projects required or authorized to be funded from proceeds of the Qualified Special Tax. The report may relate to the calendar year, fiscal year, or other appropriate annual period as the Superintendent of the District shall determine, and may be incorporated into the annual budget, audit, or other appropriate routine report to the Board of Education. Use Limited to Specific Purposes. All of the purposes named in this measure shall constitute the specific purposes of the Qualified Special Tax, and proceeds of the tax shall be applied only for such purposes. LEVY AND COLLECTION The Qualified Special Tax shall be collected by the Tax Collector at the same time and manner and shall be subject to the same penalties as ad valorem property taxes collected by the Tax Collector. Unpaid taxes shall bear interest at the same rate as the rate for unpaid ad valorem property taxes until paid. The collection of the Qualified Special Tax shall not decrease the funds available from other sources of the District in any period from the effective date hereof. "Parcel of taxable real property" shall be defined as any unit of real property in the District which receives a separate tax bill for ad valorem property taxes from the Tax Collector's Office. All property which is otherwise exempt from or on which are levied no ad valorem property taxes in any year shall also be exempt from the Qualified Special Tax in such year. Parcels owned and occupied by persons 65 years of age or older are exempt from the Qualified Special Tax as provided in this measure. The District shall annually provide a list of parcels which the District has approved for a senior citizen exemption from the Qualified Special Tax to the County tax collection officials. The County Assessor's determination of exemption or relief for any reason other than the senior citizen exemption of any parcel from taxation shall be final and binding for the purposes of the Qualified Special Tax. Taxpayers wishing to challenge the County Assessor's determination must do so under the procedures for correcting a misclassification of property pursuant to Section 4876.5 of the California Revenue and Taxation Code or other applicable procedures. Taxpayers seeking a refund of Qualified Special Taxes paid shall follow the procedures applicable to property tax refunds pursuant to the California Revenue and Taxation Code. SEVERABILITY The Board of Education hereby declares, and the voters by approving this measure concur, that every section and part of this measure has independent value, and the Board of Education 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 be found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid for any reason, all remaining parts hereof shall remain in full force and effect to the fullest extent allowed by law.