With threats that major cuts will be made in educational extras, the Yes for Kids campaign is urging residents to approve the renewal of a parcel tax that has been in effect for the past 16 years.
Proposition Y is a measure that will bring in more than $3 million dollars to supplement the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) in areas such as library and nursing staff, music, arts and athletic programs, according to the campaign.
Currently the tax is in place at $74.99 per parcel of land. If passed, Y would provide for a tax renewal of $98 per parcel, adjusted by the Consumer Price Index, for a period of 10 years.
In the SMMUSD 2000-01 Planning Budget, it is estimated the parcel tax will bring in $2,396,455 for the years 2000-01, at $74.99 tax on each parcel, with 31,957 parcels located in the cities of Malibu and Santa Monica. The tax comprises 24 percent of local revenue for the district.
“It’s a major source of revenue that the district has been using to supplement the district,” said Art Cohen, assistant superintendent of SMMUSD.
According to Yes for Kids, the Parcel Tax Renewal money would be used to “attract and retain outstanding teachers, to improve instruction and counseling, to enhance athletic, music and arts programs, to purchase science and technology materials and to protect taxpayer investment in education and to maintain a safe learning environment.”
“In our district we are very fortunate,” said SMMUSD Superintendent Neil Schmidt. “Most districts do not have nurses, very few have elementary music programs, and are not able to fund and support technology like we have.”
“[This is] one reason so many students from outside the district are wanting to get in [the SMMUSD],” continued Schmidt.
Cathleen Sands, co-chair of Yes for Kids, said the money is divvied out per pupil. She said approximately $600,000 a year goes to schools in Malibu.
“The parcel tax has brought in all this stuff that has been cut,” said Sands.
“We don’t want to jeopardize what we have now,” she said of the importance to renew the tax.
Citing how important the tax is in maintaining the quality of Malibu schools, Yes for Kids says 94 percent of Malibu students graduate and go to college and all Malibu schools rank in the top 10 percent of the state.
“With almost any measure, you want to look at the investment,” said Schmidt. “[This measure] has resulted in very high achievements, look at the API scores.”