League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Contra Costa County, CA May 4, 2010 Election
	Measure A Emergency Education Act of 2010 Acalanes Union High School District Parcel Tax - 2/3 Approval Required See Also: Index of all Measures

Arguments For Measure A

Arguments Against Measure A

Measure A avoids the severe loss of science, foreign language, English, social studies, arts and mathematics classes due to continuing deep cuts in the state's budget, as well as provides students with high-quality classroom programs and services within the Acalanes Union High School District. Three years of significant state budget cuts have forced the District to reduce its budget by more than $8 million - a reduction of over $1,575 per student. Local action is the necessary way to address these cuts. The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst Office predicts no fiscal improvement on the state level for at least four years, which will further weaken the district's ability to provide adequate student programs. Without Measure A: Science and mathematics classes will be significantly limited Foreign language programs will be reduced Teacher cutbacks will limit the courses available to students -- including AP electives -- and force class sizes to continue to increase Academic support services such as librarians and counseling will be greatly curtailed Every Yes vote will protect the educational resources necessary for students to be competitive applicants for colleges and technical institutions. In the face of the deepening California state budget crisis, approval of Measure A is a local solution that will provide reliable local funding for our schools. AUHSD is the top rated high school district in California. The strong academic achievement at our schools helps maintain high property values. Measure A will provide the District with a temporary emergency source of local funds that cannot be disrupted by the state. The cost is reasonable at $112 per parcel and will sunset after five years. All expenditures will be audited and monitored by an Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee. Senior citizens will be offered an exemption. Please join us in supporting local program control for our schools by voting Yes on Measure A. Joan Kiekhaefer President, Educational Foundation of Orinda Astrida Lalor President, Acalanes Parents Club Mary Jean Parton President, Mutual 8; Rossmoor Shari Simon President, Moraga Education Foundation Ed Stokes Lafayette Business Person of the Year 2009; Founder of Diablo Foods Rebuttal to Arguments For IT'S THE TAX PROPONENTS WHO NOW MISLEAD VOTERS, AFTER SLIPPING MEASURE A INTO THIS EXPENSIVE VOTE-BY-MAIL PROCESS IN FEBRUARY.... The Acalanes Union High School District has the lowest student-per-teacher ratio (20.6 to 1) of any Contra Costa County high school district. Small class-size increases would conserve millions of taxpayer dollars, in a tough economy. As AUHSD's budget predicts, District enrollment will continue declining for at least three more years. Fewer students shouldn't require one tax increase after another. AUHSD is spending nearly $10,000 per student this year, in operational expenses alone -- almost $200,000 per 20-student classroom. Enough's enough! AUHSD teacher salaries top out at $90,801, and average $75,477 (plus tenure and extraordinary benefits), for just 186 employment days annually. Strong academic achievement? Exposed in Not as Good as You Think (Pacific Research Institute), AUHSD performs poorly in State testing of college readiness -- averaging only 36% proficiency in English, for example (http://eap2009.ets.org/ViewReport.asp) -- despite averaging only 18 students per English classroom! Compared with similar schools, Las Lomas High School's 2008 Academic Performance Index rating (last available) was only 4 out of 10. AUHSD already enjoys a permanent $189 annual parcel tax. Predictably, Measure A's additional $112 annually won't really sunset either. "Independent oversight" committees cannot revoke reckless new tax schemes once they've passed. AUHSD again threatens cuts in mathematics, science, foreign languages, etc. That doesn't need to happen. There's plenty of money now, if managed properly. VOTE NO ON THIS UNNECESSARY NEW TAX! More information: http://www.NOonA.info Orinda Taxpayers Association Richard S. Colman, Chairman Paul W. Van Etten Retired FRB Examiner Robert W. Hoffmann Registered Electrical Engineer Arthur W. Ronat Former Accountant Former Grand Jury Foreman Alliance of Contra Costa Taxpayers Kenneth E. Hambrick, Chairman

WITH THREE PREVIOUS PARCEL-TAX ELECTIONS IN JUST TEN YEARS (all passing), Acalanes Union High School District claims of fiscal responsibility aren't valid. THIS FOURTH PROPOSAL was introduced just three months after voters generously approved a $189 permanent parcel tax. District tax promoters said that measure would provide financial stability. But they're back for more anyway. AUHSD's $26,750 tax-promotion consultant presented his findings in an 8:00 A.M. meeting February 2. AUHSD's Board then hustled this new tax on to the ballot later the same day. Acting illegally (per Attorney General Brown), AUHSD refinanced four recent bond measures to borrow additional funds -- thereby obligating taxpayers, without their vote, for higher principal payoffs. AUHSD, unconcerned about a difficult economy, seeks Measure A's new taxes in a special vote-by-mail process concluding May 4 -- likely costing taxpayers about twice what consolidating the vote with the Primary election just a month later would have cost. Expensive mail-in balloting, financed by already overstressed taxpayers, favors well-funded campaigns -- e.g., pro-tax schemes. Measure A's senior exemption? It's another sneaky gimmick by an insatiably money-hungry district. Fair-minded seniors, meanwhile, recognize the inequity in backing taxes they needn't pay themselves. Acalanes has the lowest students per classroom of any high school district in the county. There is no need for these small classes at the high school level. A small increase in class size would eliminate the need for any additional money. Our grassroots opposition doesn't have professional campaign agents, taxpayer-financed polls and spin doctors, media coverage -- nor illegal school-based campaigning. We must rely instead on voters' common sense. It's time for AUHSD prudence regarding taxpayer dollars they already receive, not frightening voters and manipulating election outcomes. Vote NO on this unnecessary tax! Walter J. Parsons Retired Telecommunications Manager Jerome L. Stark Retired Former Grand Jury Member William R. Cottrell Retired Commercial Airline Pilot Cynthia A. Seibert Registered Nurse Lafayette Taxpayers Association Donald E. Lively, Coordinator Rebuttal to Arguments Against Measure A is a temporary emergency response to deep state budget cuts. No one can control the actions taken in Sacramento, but we can control what happens locally. Without Measure A, the district will be forced to eliminate more than 50 teaching positions by May 15th, a situation we can avoid by voting YES by May 4th. The facts are very clear: If you vote Yes, you vote to strengthen local control in the Acalanes Union High School District and protect the investment in high quality classroom programs voters have made over the last 20 years. If you vote No, you vote to put Sacramento in charge and watch as millions in budget cuts reduce the math, science, arts and other classroom programs that have made ours the highest achieving high school district in the state. It is that simple. So is the fact that the value of every home has been protected by the outstanding reputation of our schools + and the fact that a supermajority has consistently voted in support of those schools. Local funds are vital: Of the 88 California high school districts, ours is ranked #1 in achievement, but 65th in state funding. Our opponents present misstatements about class sizes, debt refinancing, the senior exemption and how Measure A was placed on the ballot. Learn the facts for yourself at http://www.AboutMeasureA.org. Together, we must act locally to raise the emergency funds our schools need to maintain the quality education our children deserve. Join us. Vote Yes on Measure A. Sharon Richard President, Campolindo Parents Club Sandra Breber President, Miramonte High School Parents Club Paul Rosenzweig Treasurer, Golden Rain Foundation (Rossmoor) Judy Carney Lafayette Citizen of the Year 2009 Lafayette Community Foundation - Founding Member Glynnis E. Cowdery Past President, Walnut Creek Education Foundation

Full Text of Measure A

ACALANES UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT EMERGENCY EDUCATION ACT OF 2010 To avoid the severe loss of science, foreign language, English, social studies, the arts and mathematics classes due to continuing deep cuts in the state's budget, and to provide students with high-quality programs and services, shall the Acalanes Union High School District be authorized to collect an emergency special tax at an annual cost of $112 per parcel for five years beginning July 1, 2010, with a citizens' oversight committee, and offering a senior exemption? This Proposition may be known and referred to as the "Acalanes Union High School District Emergency Education Act of 2010" or as "Measure A". FINDINGS The Acalanes Union High School District (the "District"), comprising Acalanes High School, Campolindo High School, Las Lomas High School, Miramonte High School, and alternative programs, is one of the top-ranked high school districts in the State, and has been able to offer its students an outstanding educational opportunity for many years Perpetual California State budget problems threaten the District's many successful educational programs with an increasingly uncertain fiscal future. Contributions from parent clubs and educational foundations, while generous, are not adequate to fund academic core programs. An emergency special parcel tax will help prevent the loss of science, foreign language, English, social studies, the arts, and mathematics classes that provide students with high-quality programs and services. The Acalanes Union High School District will receive less per student funding in the 2010-2011 fiscal year than in 2005-2006 fiscal year. The Acalanes Union High School District could receive further cuts to its per student funding as a result of the Governor's January 8, 2010, budget proposal that relies on $6.9 billion in Federal assistance to mitigate the State's $19.9 billion deficit. On February 1, 2010, the Federal assistance that the Governor is relying on is expected to be $1.5 billion, potentially leaving the Governor's 2010-2011 budget out of balance by $5.4 billion. From 2008-2011 State funding per student funding fell $1,575 for a total sum of $8,500,000 lost in the State's support of the District's educational programs. TERMS OF EMERGENCY EDUCATION ACT Terms and Purposes. Upon approval of two-thirds of those voting on this Proposition, the District shall be authorized to levy a qualified special tax annually on each parcel of taxable real property in the District commencing July 1, 2010 and ending on June 30, 2015. The qualified special tax shall be known and referred to as the "Emergency Education Act". The amount of the Emergency Education Act shall be $112 per parcel per year. Proceeds of the Emergency Education Act shall be authorized to be used to provide financial support to school programs, as follows: 1. To offer mathematics and science courses meeting the UC "a-g" requirements; 2. To provide foreign language courses of broad ability range and interest; 3. To offer social studies and English courses essential to a comprehensive education; 4. To preserve dynamic visual and performing arts programs; 5. To provide comprehensive student support services such as counseling and library programs needed for successful student transition to post-secondary schools. SENIOR CITIZEN EXEMPTION In order to provide tax relief to senior citizens in the community, any parcel owned and occupied by a person 65 years of age or older shall be exempt from the Emergency Education Act upon proper application to the District. The exemption shall be available pursuant to procedures to be prescribed by the District's Governing Board or otherwise as required by law or by the Contra Costa County Tax Collector. Senior citizens with a current valid exemption from the District's special tax approved on November 3, 2009, shall continue to be exempt and not be required to reapply, subject to those procedures. ACCOUNTABILITY PROVISIONS Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee. The Governing Board shall establish an independent Citizens' Oversight Committee to ensure that proceeds of the Emergency Education Act are spent wisely and only for the purposes named in this Proposition. The Governing Board shall provide by resolution for the composition, duties, funding, and other necessary information regarding the Committee's formation and operation. Specific Purposes. All of the purposes named in this Proposition shall constitute the specific purposes of the Emergency Education Act, and proceeds of the tax shall be applied only for such purposes. LEVY AND COLLECTION The Emergency Education Act shall be collected by the Contra Costa County Treasurer-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 Treasurer-Tax Collector. Unpaid taxes shall bear interest at the same rate as the rate for unpaid ad valorem property taxes until paid. "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 Contra Costa County Treasurer-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 Emergency Education Act in such year. In addition, parcels may be exempt from the education parcel tax as described above under "SENIOR CITIZEN EXEMPTION." The District shall annually provide a list of parcels to the Contra Costa County tax collection officials which the District has approved for a Senior Citizen Exemption. The Contra Costa County Assessor's determination of exemption or relief for any reason of any parcel from taxation, other than through the Senior Citizen Exemption, shall be final and binding for the purposes of the Emergency Education Act. With respect to the Senior Citizen Exemption, the decisions of a District administrative review panel shall be final and binding. 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 Emergency Education Act paid shall follow the procedures applicable to property tax refunds pursuant to the California Revenue and Taxation Code. SEVERABILITY The Governing Board hereby declares, and the voters by approving this Proposition concur, that every section, paragraph, sentence and clause of this Proposition has independent value, and the Governing Board and the voters would have adopted each provision hereof regardless of every other provision hereof. Upon approval of this Proposition 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.