Santa Monica Tea Party (Parcel Taxes)

By Thomas David Carter

This position paper discusses my independent review of the Santa Monica schools' financial situation -- and describes my ideas for getting more resources for our schools. To date, I have already located more than $2.5 million in unaccounted-for tax dollars that might be owed to our schools.

In July I made the decision to run for public office in order to give back to the community in a way where my education and professional training can be best used. I wish to improve government operations and the RCB, in my opinion, is the place. In preparing for this challenge I located three important issues that I wish to share with you. They are as follows:

A. Accountability: The City and the RCB have had the same auditors for more than 20 years. Why? Is a rotation of auditors needed? Remember Orange County and now Enron?

B. Safety: More than 200 apartment buildings appear not to have been upgraded in the wake of the 1994 earthquake to the required "safety" standards, from 1994. Why? Are they safe?

C. Education: The Santa Monica parcel tax contributes to education in Santa Monica public schools. The Rent Control Board can collect such revenues # and others # more efficiently and contribute more money to Santa Monica's schools. Education is the #1 priority for the City Council, and it ought to be the Rent Control Board's top priority too. I propose to collect the parcel tax on the basis of bedrooms # instead of the way it is collected now, based on pieces of land. This will enable renters to share in the solution by increasing their respective contributions to education in Santa Monica.

Recently I found $2,500,000 of "unaccounted for" prior year's parcel tax dollars in my independent examination of the Santa Monica schools' books, and as part of my preparation to become a RCB candidate. How long do we need to wait for the County-Auditor to explain or issue a check to our schools? For more information please email me at thomasdcarter@yahoo.com, or telephone me at (310) 587-1950.

This frustration with the current funding for Education, where we just use "band aid" funding but we never fix the real problem, is one good reason why I support the new parcel tax, Measure EE. The children in the schools should not be made to suffer, and they deserve a good education. The system, in my opinion, has failed them, both at the State and the County levels in regards to funding their education.

The real long-term solution is to see that the State of California corrects the "Revenue Limit" funding programs currently in place. The County last year collected from the owners within the Local School boundaries approximately $200 plus million in property taxes. These were paid by renters, as part of the rent, and others to the County. The Local Schools received only $26.3 million of that $200 plus million according to the County-Auditor. Why? The actual `twists" and "turns" are a bit more confusing, such that only a Ph.D. Rocket Scientist can understand them # elect me so I can get to the bottom of the issue.

I am a community activist; I am liberal on social issues, and conservative on financial matters. I will ask the tough questions and get results in order to avoid having a Santa Monica Tea Party.

On November 5, vote for new ideas via me,

THOMAS DAVID CARTER