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October 15, 2009

Big push, and endorsements, for voters to say “yes” to G and H school parcel tax measures

Two school parcel tax measures on the November 3 ballot, Measure G in the Acalanes Union High School District, and Measure H, in the Walnut Creek School District, received a strong endorsement from the Contra Costa Times. And school leaders in both districts, of course, support the measures, as does the Walnut Creek City Council and Chamber of Commerce.

The measures require approval from two thirds of voters to pass. What is somewhat unusual about these measures is that they would permanently extend the taxes, rather than impose sunset provisions, as in the past. Currently, Walnut Creek’s $82-per-parcel tax and Acalanes’ $189-per-parcel tax are due to expire in 2011.

“These are challenging times for public school officials as they watch their funding shrink drastically because of the fiscal crisis in Sacramento,” says the editorial in the Contra Costa Times. “In an ideal world, the state would equitably fund our schools, ensuring that all students have similar access to quality education. Unfortunately, we don't live in such a world. School districts are partially funded by the state and then left to make up shortfalls on their own.

The parcel tax for the Acalanes district--which includes Walnut Creek’s downtown Las Lomas High School-- brings in about $6.7 million a year. The district’s budget has dropped about $5 million in the past year to $49 million. The Walnut Creek tax brings in about $1.2 million a year, which would help offset the district’s loss in the past year of about $3 million.

Proponents of G&H say that investing in Walnut Creek schools is necessary to provide local children a quality public education. “The Walnut Creek School District and Acalanes Union High School District are consistently among the top-ranked school districts in California.”

Proponents also say that good public schools contribute to our town’s overall economic vitality. That is, all property owners benefit from quality schools. “Currently, home values in our community are strong and maintaining value in large part because homebuyers are motivated to live within these two districts.”

For more information about the measures, visit the Yes on G&H website.

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am voting "NO" on both of these measures. I have two children in WC schools, but now is not a good time to be raising taxes. I would rather give $ to my childrens teachers to use is whatever way they need.

Anonymous said...

It's not raising taxes. It is continuing the taxes we already pay. Your child's teacher my not be there to support if you don't support these measures!

Anonymous said...

Anon 6:32 - I hope the $82 makes a difference to your childrens' teachers (actually $41 each), although they may not have a job if these parcel taxes don't pass. In WCSD, the $$ goes directly to pay 16 teachers' salaries. Even if your teachers keep their jobs, their class size will get even larger because there will be fewer teachers. These measures don't increase the taxes, they keep it at the same rate it's been since 2005.

Parent and Elementary Specialist said...

It is important that everyone votes yes on these measures. With the cuts for education in the state budget, we must unfortunately supplement the schools through this parcel tax. This tax already exists and this will keep it from going away when it expires. It does NOT raise your current tax. Not only is this important for our kids, it keeps everyone's property values high. We, like many, moved here for the outstanding schools. Your teacher would rather you give the money to the tax than have increased class sizes and more supplies!!

Anonymous said...

if you ask your child's teacher, they will ask you to kindly vote yes- and not because they want to keep their jobs, but because it's in the best interest of the children in this community. voting no is just plain stupid. we obviously can't count on sacramento for support, so we need local support. i am very surprised that a parent in the wc school system would be so ignorant to say they'd vote no. you clearly are not educated in this matter. if g and h do not pass, be prepared for schools to close. then perhaps you'll need that $82 for your commute to another school.

Anonymous said...

I am voting YES on G & H. Why....its simple. This gives us a chance to insure our local $$ go to our local schools. Sacramento can't take these $$ away.
Incidentally, these schools are some of the best in the Stat. That is one of the main reasons why we live here.

Anonymous said...

Please vote yes! $82.00 is so little and our kids get smaller classes (Mt. Diablo is now at 31, their parcel tax failed), we have 24, extended library hours etc!! The state budget is a mess and is only going to get worse which portends for more cuts for schools. Support your WC schools.

Anonymous said...

Our taxes would not be raised, just stay the same. They SHOULD be raised, since our California legislature can't figure it out. Thank goodness we do have the opportunity to vote for these types of measures for our own backyard. Please contact local schools in your area to find out if they have ways for you to volunteer in and/or around the classroom! It is a beautiful experience!

Castle Hill Bill said...

6:32- They are not 'raising' taxes. You are voting on a continuation of the current parcel taxes. You claim to be a parent of two children in the WCUSD yet you won't continue to support their excellent public schools. With the cuts in state funding, you can bet that your kids, your family, will be directly and negatively impacted if these taxes aren't extended. If these measures fail, you're going to have to give money directly to your "childrens teachers to use is whatever way they need," if they still have a regular teacher. Without the tax, expect cuts in teacher positions, programs, and supplies. This isn't some Chicken Little BS. Just look at what has happened at MDUSD and I'm not talking just about after school sports being shut down. Just ask the WC residents in MDUSD how they would vote if they were in our district. Don't you find it strange that I am defending school taxes even though my kids have long ago completed their education in the WCUSD and the Acalanes High School District (Las Lomas) and graduated from highly ranked UC campuses and now are productive members of society? My kids are the norm for Las Lomas. There are thousands more like them. Don't you think it's strange that no school tax has passed without the support of the good citizens of Rossmoor, who have no school age children, nor are their house values tied to the school district that they sit in? It's because we know how important a quality public education is for children. Yet you, parent of two, WC homeowner, won't continue to spend $271 ($135.50 a year per child) to keep their present level of education? Your offer of a direct deposit: "rather give $ to your childrens teachers" is absurd if you think that will save any educational programs.

Anonymous said...

I am a NO vote as well.
Public Education goes far, far beyond the 3 "R's" in Acalanes Union District. Parents should be paying more, since their kids are reaping the direct benefits; fees for these excessive programs should not be passed on to taxpayers. Campolindo High has THREE swimming pools - for pete's sake; a ridiculously large, newly turfed football/track area; and a state-of-the-art theater building! This is just not sustainable in this economy.
Just like the State needs to trim some of their programs, the high school district need to do more cutting.

Anonymous said...

To Anon 10:16, who wrote:
"....no school tax has passed without the support of the good citizens of Rossmoor, who have no school age children, nor are their house values tied to the school district that they sit in? It's because we know how important a quality public education is for children"
I wonder how many good citizens of Rossmoor are actually paying the parcel tax; there is an exemption for senior citizens written into the measures - - no wonder they support the measures.

Anonymous said...

Do not confuse Bonds & Parcel Taxes! Bonds pay for facilities, Buildings & grounds. Parcel taxes pay for People/teachers, libraries & keeping technology current. I agree that knowing what they know now, ask any parent currently with children in the Mt Diablo School District how they would vote given the chance again! Measures G & H are for the continuation of PARCEL TAXES = PEOPLE. The WCSD will lose 16.5 teaching positions & the AUHSD will lose 70 teachers -- for $.74 per day -- giving up one Grande Latte a month will almost cover it. Not much to ask when talking about the education of children! Educate yourself -- learn the difference between parcel taxes & bonds, visit a classroom at one of the schools and visualize it with the addition of 5-10 more children -- not just by space but resources, teacher time & differentiation. Everything about the quality of education in these districts will be compromised if these measures do not pass. Educate yourself & make an educated decision to vote YES for the kids!

Anonymous said...

Please vote yes on G and H!

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:23pm

Please review how the money is allocated before you vote. This is all about the 3 "R's".

Educate yourself on the distribution of the money and then vote yes on G&H. It's not a new tax, it's an extension of an existing one.

Thanks

Anonymous said...

This is a NO brainer! Vote "YES" to measures G and H. It is NOT a tax increase, just a continuation of what we are currently paying. If you don't care about the kids in our community, maybe you care about your property values. Our excellent schools help in keeping our property values good. Vote "YES" for the kids, these measures definitely make a positive impact on education. My 3rd grader thanks you for your "YES" vote, even at 8 years old she understands the importance of good schools and small class sizes.

Anonymous said...

Hey anon 6:32 - With the money saved by voting no, you can now buy each of your kids new 8 GB iPods, but you won't be able to load it with iTunes unless we repeal the CC Junior College tax.

Anonymous said...

I'm voting yes - these proposals RENEW existing taxes and an EXITING commitment to the communities children.

Anonymous said...

Castle Hill Bill: Just to clarify there is no "U" in the Walnut Creek School District. "U" stands for Unified and that means K-12. WCSD is only K-8. Wouldn't a Unified school district in Walnut Creek be ideal especially if it included all Walnut Creek schools and its residents? But a year ago the WCSD told half of the city to take a hike. You are right that half would have no trouble passing the parcel taxes. I also agree with the later post, Rossmoor residents are most likely not paying a dime of these taxes. It is really to bad the WCSD feels so justified in alienating half of the city. Although when all of the Walnut Creek MDUSD elementary schools have higher API scores than two of the elementary schools in WCSD, what exactly are these parcel taxes providing?

Anonymous said...

Castle Hill Bill,

Unified = K-12. Unless you want to merge the Lamorinda elementary districts with Acalanes Union High School District, you won't have a unified district.

You want WCSD to encompass all of Walnut Creek? Then you'd better convince those families who belong to San Ramon Valley Unified and Lafayette Elementary School District. Yes, contrary to the spin by the transfer proponents, Walnut Creek students are served by multiple districts, and unless you get ALL Walnut Creek students into one district, it's all just a lie.

Anonymous said...

Castle Hill Bill,

You also don't understand the depth of changes that would occur if WCSD became twice it's current size. The costs to coordinate the merger would be enormous, and it would require hundreds of WCSD children to be displaced from their current schools because boundaries would need to be redrawn. Buena Vista (I think) would be the recipient of the initial impact, but then think about the cascade effect.

The Northgate area families believe WCSD to be 'provincial,' and just barely tolerable; I might even use the word 'contempt.' The only reason they involved WCSD is it is their strategy to gain access to Acalanes. If WCSD merged with North Walnut Creek, Acalanes would be 'forced' to accept those students. They're goal is to obtain the services and opportunities at AUHSD; WCSD is just the means to that end. They really don't have any respect for WCSD families or children.

I am a Northgate feeder pattern parent and have been to many of those meetings. You'd be appalled at what is said.

They also falsely claim that North Walnut Creek supports/has supported parcel taxes for schools, when in fact, Pleasant Hill has been the biggest supporter of school parcel taxes, although the overall support has been statistically insignificant between all of the MDUSD communities.

The list of cons are endless.

Anonymous said...

Back to the real issue...Please vote yes on measures G & H.

Anonymous said...

These two get a big, fat NO vote from me as well.

Without a sunset, there is no way in hell I am voting yes on these.

Furthermore, I don't believe for a second they will cut honors and AP classes. Doing so will cause a riot. Can you imagine? Sure, right [roll eyes] They are just attempting to put fear in the hearts of people who paid an arm and a leg to get their kids into a good school district. As far as the elementary schools, so what if they increase class sizes? The entire time I was in school we had 30 kids per class. And gee, we got by okay.

Don't fall for their cheap threats. Vote NO on both G and H.

Anonymous said...

Do you all realize that you can contribute right NOW to any of these schools. Go on, write a check!!!!

Anonymous said...

NO ON D! NO ON D!

Anonymous said...

Anon: 10:28pm
Yes there is a senior exemption and that is no secret but you are overlooking that Rossmoor residents also benefit from the classes through Acalanes Adult Education. A good education isn't just for the young.

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh. Don't tell me you can honestly believe that smaller class sizes in elementary is NOT important. You think my kid would be reading 3 grade levels above her actual grade level and score over 97% on the STAR testing if she had been in class sizes of 30 or more? I am positive that small class sizes are directly related to her achievements. Don't be ignorant, vote "YES" on measures G and H. It is the right thing to do for the kids, it is so obvious!

Anonymous said...

I don't understand why anyone would have a problem with the no sunset. As a parent, I was glad to see it! This is the 2nd parcel tax campaign since my kids started school. The Parent groups donate big bucks and spend alot of time & energy working to ensure success. That kind of investment deserves longevity! Our kids deserve stability and parents that don't have to spend all their time fundraising. Education is so different than when we were kids! And you are foolish if you don't think AP classes will be cut! They already have cut freshman to 6 classes on average! Less money equals less services, it's simple math. Anyway if the public decides we don't need this parcel tax it only takes a 50% vote to repeal! Let's give the schools and parents peace of mind and vote YES on Measures G&H!!

Anonymous said...

You make my point exactly. "Education" is totally different than when we were kids.
Today, it is full of sooooo many frills and extras. In my day, no pools, no posh theaters, no artificial turf football fields, no advanced-level art, no advanced-level music. We DID have low-cost, health-oriented exercise equipment; libraries; choirs; fundamental art and music appreciation; and we did splurge some on sciences.
When we kids wanted to pursue posh extras, our parents PAID for membership at the YMCA for swim teams; and PAID for after-school drama/art/music programs with the park district or private music instructors. These groups were very organized, very popular, and top-rate.
Parents SHOULD be putting in the time to fundraise and be shelling out their own big bucks -it benefits their very own children after all. When parents are the source of funding, the district is beholden to you parents, and are held accountable.
When districts get this "free" money from taxes, they feel 'entitled' and answer to noone. Sometimes, weird shenanigans ensue, such as the recently reported refinancing schemes allegedly undertaken by Acalanes Union. Apparently, they are in need of serious parental oversight.

Anonymous said...

8:51 AM - Class size has NO EFFECT on how well your kid performs. The biggest effect is from what YOU do to help your kid after school. My 7 year-old is performing almost one grade above the others because my wife spends time with her and helps her with her reading and math lessons after school. And after dinner, we have reading hour and the TV is off until the following day. If you think the schools are capable of making your child a star performer, you are sadly mistaken. It's all up to you.

Anonymous said...

To 12:15....
I did NOT say the school was entirely responsible for my kids high academic performance. I can say with CERTAINTY her small class sizes DOES enhance her learning. Give me a break, my daughter had 16 in her K class, you don't think that teacher helped her more than she does this school year with 25 students in here class. Do the math! Her 1st grade had 18 and 2nd grade was 19. Any good teacher does a better job with smaller class sizes, there are less issues and more time to teach. I volunteer MANY hours in my kids class and I can tell you this year the kids are older (now in 3rd grade), but with 23 students the teacher has so many other things to deal with which takes away from her actual teaching time. My daughter's success is definitely not (and I NEVER said it was) entirely due to small class sizes previously but it did definitely enhance her learning. I am confident her small class size helped her learning, and feel strongly we need to vote "YES" for the children.

Anonymous said...

Activism and a Yes vote on G&H are essential in keeping our schools strong and our children educated.

The naysayers among you have no idea whatsoever what is happening everyday in our classrooms - how are children are being giving a strong education that will allow them a future. Our teachers, administrators and parents are working tirelessly to this end.

Q: Who is going to pay for your retirement? A: Our children working at good, well paying jobs - not deadend minimum wage jobs.

Education is the answer to our children's future.

Anonymous said...

Vote YES on G&H.

Don't cut off your nose to spite your face! G&H are good for all citizens of Walnut Creek.

Education is a priority. The $82 WCSC parcel tax equals two weeks of gas in my economy car. The $189 AUHSD equals 4 months of basic cable TV.

Your $82 will pay for 16.5 teaches in WCSD. Your $189 will pay for 70 teachers in the AUHSD

This is not rocket science people.

Anonymous said...

I'm voting Yes on G&H. The issue here is a stable funding source for our schools. These parcel tax renewals will give schools a base of stable funding.

Sacramento is in gridlock and cannot fund our schools adequately. California schools are currently funded 47th out of the 50 states.

I know my property value depends on our schools being well funded and being able to offer a top notch education.

Next year's State budget is due to hit our schools with massive budget reductions for a third year in a row. You're kidding yourself if you believe our schools will survive.

Vote yes and ask your neighbors to vote yes.

Anonymous said...

Moving forward in the world we live in today, supporting education of our children is key to a stronger tomorrow for all of us. That is why I'm voting YES on G & H!

Anonymous said...

It is so sad to read and feel the anger that the no voters are portraying. Please, unless they have the understanding that the community is raised in so many ways by an educated populace, they will always vote their pocket book. Too bad they can't take it with them! Sad, just sad...

Anonymous said...

I get the feeling the YES voters are more interested in maintaining property values than getting to the bottom of what it takes to give a child a good education. Throwing more money at the schools is not the answer. All that does is increase the size of the teacher's union and thwart real change in Sacramento (for instance, vouchers.) I have yet to see any proof that smaller class sizes improves a child's education.

Anonymous said...

Looks like the naysayers can't count the millions of real budget dollars our local schools have lost over the past two years and they have their heads firmly planted in the sand about the budget cuts that are pending in the coming year.

Vouchers are certainly not the answer to the education of the one in eight United States children that are educated in California. Teacher unions are not the culprit here - teachers are not raking in the dough. Teachers are rarely able to live in our community due to the high cost of living.

I often wonder when these same folks have last been in a classroom to witness the creative and inspired no-frills instruction that is happening locally due to our talented, experienced and dedicated teachers. Remember students in New York and New Jersey High Schools are funded at an average of $12,500 per student per year. Our California High Schoolers are being funded at less than $7000 per student per year. It is only right we are asking for help from the community at large to keep our schools at a minimum level of funding.

My Yes vote on G&H is only one element in keeping public schools adequately funded, but a very important one.