League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	San Mateo County, CA May 3, 2011 Election
	Measure B Parcel Tax Ravenswood City School District 2/3 Approval Required Pass: 725 / 68.5% Yes votes ...... 334 / 31.5% No votes See Also: Index of all Measures

Arguments For Measure B

A YES on Measure B will help ensure that every child in East Palo Alto and East Menlo Park receives a quality education. Measure B will secure funding for our local schools that can't be taken away by the State or other school districts. Like many school districts in California, Ravenswood City School District has been hit hard by State budget cuts. With our local schools facing over $4 million in additional cuts, Measure B is needed to protect and preserve core instructional programs that have increased test scores for our children. Specifically, Measure B will: maintain reading, writing, and math programs preserve after-school programs that keep kids off the streets and out of gangs maintain the length of the school day and instructional time for students provide training and support for teachers provide programs that get parents involved in their child's education minimize class size increases By law, every penny from this measure must stay here in our schools and cannot be taken away by the State. Measure B automatically expires in seven years and cannot be extended without voter approval. Seniors are eligible for an exemption so that this measure is not a burden to those living on a fixed income. Student test scores are on the rise in our local schools. But we simply can't rely on Sacramento to provide adequate education funding. Measure B provides guaranteed funds that we can count on to ensure that we have qualified teachers who provide individualized attention to our students and emphasize quality core academic instruction. Tutoring and counseling programs will continue to help at-risk students stay on the right track and succeed in school. Every student in our community deserves a quality education. Please join us in voting Yes on B. Sharica Wilson, Chair of Ravenswood City School Board Ruben Abrica, Resident Marcelino Lopez, Vice-President of Ravenswood City School Board Aaron Williamson, President - Ravenswood Teachers Association Glenda Savage, Resident (No arguments against Measure B were submitted)

Full Text of Measure B

The Proposition may be known and referred to as the "Ravenswood City School District Fudning for Local Schools Act of 2011" or as "Measure B." TERMS OF THE FUNDING FOR LOCAL SCHOOLS SPECIAL TAX Terms and Purposes. Upon approval of two-thirds of those voting on this measure, the District shall be authorized to levy a new qualified special tax of $98 per year for seven (7) years on each parcel of taxable real property in the district, commencing July 1, 2011, and to extend the existing parcel tax (Ravenswood City School District Funding for Local Schools Act of 2007, currently expiring in 2014) until 2018. The net effect of this measure would be to authorize the District to impose a total of $196 in taxes per parcel annually each year between July 1, 2011, and June 30, 2018. The qalified special tax shall be known and referred to as the "Funding for Local Schools Tax of 2011." Proceeds of the Funding for Local Schools shall be authorized to be used to improve students' reading, writing, and math skills by recruiting and retaining experienced, highly qualified staff; and by supporting supplemental educational programs and services. 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 Funding for Local Schools Tax of 2011 upon proper application to the District. The exemption shall be available pursuant to procedures to be prescribed by the District's Board of Trustees or otherwise as required by law or by the San Mateo County Tax Collector. ACCOUNTABILITY PROVISIONS Annual Audit. Upon the levy and collection of the Funding for Local Schools Tax of 2011, the Board of Trustees shall cause an account to be established for deposit of the proceeds. For so long as any proceeds of the Funding for Local Schools Tax of 2011 shall remain unexpended, the Superintendent or chief financial officer of the District shall cause a report to be filed with the Board of Trustees no later than December 31 of each year, commencing December 31, 2012, stating (1) the amount of Funding for Local Schools Tax of 2011 received and expended in such year, and (2) the status of any projects or description of any programs funding from proceeds of the tax. The report may relate to the calendar year, fiscal year, or other appropriate annual period, as the Superintendent shall determine and may be incorporated into or filed with the annual budget, audit, or other appropriate routine report to the Board of Trustees. Specific Purposes. All of the purposes named in the measure shall constitute the specific purposes of the Funding for Local Schools Tax of 2011, and proceeds of the tax shall be applied only for such purposes. Appropriations Limit. The Board of Trustees shall provide in each year (pursuant to Section 7902.1 of the Government Code or any successor provision of law) for any increase in the District's appropriations limit as shall be necessary to ensure that proceeds of the funding of Local Schools Tax of 2011, and of all qualified special taxes levied by the District, may be spent for the authorized purposes and an election shall be conducted by the District for such purpose only if required by the general laws of the State applicable to school district qualified special taxes. This provision shall be deemed to be declaratory of existing procedures governing District expenditures. LEVY AND COLLECTION The Funding for Local Schools Tax of 2011 shall be collected by the San Mateo 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. The collection of the Funding for Local Schools Tax of 2011 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 San Mateo 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 Funding for Local Schools Tax in such year. Parcels owned and occupied by persons aged 65 years or older may be exempt from the funding of Local Schools Tax of 2011 as described above by request. The District shall annuall provide a list of parcels, which the District has approved, for a Senior Citizen Exemption from the Funding for Local Schools Tax of 2011 as described above to the San Mateo County tax collection officials. The San Mateo 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 Funding for Local Schools Tax of 2011. 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. Taxapyers seeking a refund of the Funding for Local Schools Tax of 2011 paid shall follow the procedures appicable to property tax refunds pursuant to the California Revenue and Taxation Code. SEVERABILITY The Board of Trustees hereby declares and the voters by approving this measure concur that every section, paragraph, sentence, and clause of this measue has independent value and the Board of Trustees 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.