League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Marin County, CA November 6, 2012 Election
	Measure B Special Parcel Tax for Educational Programs and Services Mill Valley School District Parcel Tax - 2/3 Approval Required Pass: 12691 / 71.42% Yes votes ...... 5078 / 28.58% No votes See Also: Index of all Measures

Arguments For Measure B

Mill Valley residents are justifiably proud of our excellent public elementary and middle school district. The Mill Valley School District is in the top 3% highest-performing districts in California. But deep and continuing cuts in state education funding threaten to take that away from us. We need reliable local revenue to protect our schools from the relentless Sacramento money grab that has cost our local schools millions of dollars. Every dollar raised by Measure B will remain in the Mill Valley School District and cannot be taken by the state. State budget cuts have already forced the District to slash important classroom programs and supplies and to eliminate positions. More state budget cuts are on the way and may force the District to make even more painful cuts to core academic programs. In past years, the voters in our district have stepped up along with parents to protect our local schools and we need to do so again this year. Voting YES for Measure B will enable the Mill Valley School District to: Protect against damaging state budget cuts; Attract and keep skilled, qualified teachers and provide teacher training; Maintain school libraries and library services; Prevent a shortened school year; Provide programs for at-risk students and students who need additional support; Replace some of the funding the district lost to the state. Great schools benefit everyone in our community. Mill Val ley's top-performing schools increase our property values and make Mill Valley a wonderful place to live and work. And, of course, we all have a stake in the future success of today's young people. Please VOTE YES on Measure B. Together, we can safeguard our students from state budget cuts, keep our excellent teachers and preserve vital classroom programs. Visit protectmvschools.org for more information. s/BOB CANEPA Retired Mill Valley Businessman s/TRISHA GARLOCK Executive Director, Kiddo! s/KIM KIRLEY Co-President, Mill Valley Teachers Association s/GARRY LION Mayor, City of Mill Valley s/ROBIN MOSES President, Mill Valley School District Board of Trustees (No arguments against Measure B were submitted)

Full Text of Measure B

(November 6, 2012) MILL VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT PUBLIC EDUCATION QUALITY PRESERVATION MEASURE OF 2012 Article 1: INTRODUCTION The revenues used by this Measure ("Measure") shall be used to replace significant cuts by the State in education funding in Mill Valley, to protect the quality of local elementary and middle schools, and to attract and keep highly qualified teachers. This Measure includes the accountability and public information protections which are listed in this Measure. Article 2: TERMS Upon approval of two-thirds of those voting on this measure, the District shall be authorized to and shall levy a qualified special tax of one hundred and ninety-six dollars per year per parcel of taxable real property in the District for eight years, commencing July 1, 2013 and expiring June 30, 2021. Under the special tax measure, the tax rate will increase annually commensurate with the annual percentage increase to the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose Price Index for All Urban Consumers ("CPI"), not to exceed 3% per year. The annual adjustments will begin July 1, 2014 (based on the percentage increase in CPI from May 1 of the previous year to May 1 of the current year) and continue until the expiration date of the measure June 30, 2021. Article 3: PURPOSE The revenues raised by this Measure shall be used by the Mill Valley School District (the "District") exclusively for the following purposes: Replace significant cuts by the State in education. Attract and keep highly qualified teachers in core academic subjects. Protect the quality of essential reading, writing, math, science and social science programs at local (K-8) elementary and middle schools. Provide effective school library services. Protect the taxpayers' investment in education and ensure District accountability by providing for independent financial audits of revenues and expenditures. Article 4: ACCOUNTABILITY AND PUBLIC INFORMATION MEASURES (a) Accountability Requirements: The members of the Board of Eduction, the District Superintendent, and officers of the District are hereby requested and directed, individually and collectively, to provide accountability measures pursuant to Government Code section 50075.1 that include, but are not limited to, all of the following: (i) a statement indicating the specific purposes of the qualified special tax, (ii) a requirement that the proceeds be applied only to the specific purposes identified pursuant to subsection (i), (iii) the creation of a separate special account into which the proceeds from the special taxes shall be deposited, and (iv) an annual report pursuant to Section 50075.3 of the Government Code. (b) Annual Report: Pursuant to Section 50075.3 of the Government Code, the Board of Education directs that the Chief Financial Officer of the District file a report with the Board no later than July 1, 2014, and at least once a year thereafter for the duration of the special tax. The annual report shall contain both of the following: (i) the amount of funds collected and expended from the special taxes, and (ii) the status of any projects or programs required or authorized to be funded from the proceeds of the special taxes. (c) Specific Purposes: All of the purposes set forth in the measure shall constitute the specific purposes of the Mill Valley School District Public Education Quality Preserva - tion Measure of 2012, and the proceeds of that special tax shall be applied only for such purposes. Article 5: PROTECTION OF FUNDING If the adoption of this Measure results in any decrease in State or Federal funding to the District, then the amount of the special taxes authorized by this Measure will be reduced annually as necessary in order to restore any such reduction in State or Federal funding. Article 6: LEVY AND COLLECTION (a) Collection: The Mill Valley School District Public Education Quality Preservation Measure of 2012 special tax shall be collected by the Marin County Tax Collector (the "Tax Collector") at the same time and in the same manner and shall be subject to the same penalties as ad valorem property taxes collected by the Tax Collector. The collection of taxes under the Measure shall not decrease the funds available from other sources of the District in any period from the effective date hereof. (b) Definition: "Parcel of taxable real property" as used here in shall be defined as any unit of real property in the boundaries of the Mill Valley School District that receives a separate tax bill for ad valorem property taxes from the Tax Collector's Office. (c) Exemption: All property that the Tax Collector has determined to be otherwise exempt from or on which are levied no ad valorem property taxes in any year shall also be exempt from the Measure in such year. The Tax Col - lector's determination of exemption or relief for any reason of any parcel from taxation, other than the Senior Citizen Exemption, shall be final on the taxpayer for purposes of the Measure. Taxpayers desiring to challenge the Tax Collector's determination should do so under the procedures established by the Tax Collector's Office and Section 4876.5 of the California Revenue and Taxation Code or other applicable law. Taxpayers seeking any refund of taxes paid pursuant to the Measure shall follow the procedures applicable to tax refunds pursuant to the California Revenue and Taxation Code. (d) Senior Citizen Exemption: Parcels owned and occupied by individuals who are 65 years of age or older, may be exempt pursuant to the Senior Citizen Exemption provisions set forth below. Pursuant to Government Code Section 50079, a senior exemption will be included in the measure; the exemption shall be granted for any parcel MVB-2 owned by one or more persons 65 years of age or over on or before January 1 of any applicable year who uses that parcel as his or her principal place of residence, upon application for exemption. The District shall annually provide a list to the Tax Collector, on or before a date established by the Tax Collector of each year, of the parcels which the District has approved for the Senior Citizen Exemption as described above. (e) Duration: The collection of taxes pursuant to this Mea sure shall be for eight (8) years, commencing July 1, 2013 and expiring June 30, 2021. (f) Associated Costs: The revenues from this Measure shall be used to reimburse the District for (i) costs for annual collection of the Parcel Tax charged by the County; and (ii) costs of the Parcel Tax election (in initial year only). Article 7: SEVERABILITY The Board hereby declares, and the voters by approving this measure concur, that every section, paragraph, sentence, and clause 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 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.