I urge you to vote “yes” on Feb. 5 to support local Malibu schools. Measure R will continue our tradition of excellent public education in Malibu, with great teachers, small class sizes and rigorous academic programs. But best of all, Measure R doesn’t raise tax rates. Local schools simply can’t rely on state funding alone to protect great education. Given the Governor’s recent announcement to slice school budgets even further over the next two years, we must support our local schools through Measure R to ensure that local students continue to receive an excellent education.
In fact, if Measure R does not pass, local Malibu schools will face serious budget cuts to academic programs, and we could lose some of our best teachers. No other source of funding can make up for Measure R. With Measure R, we can protect our schools without raising tax rates. Measure R simply continues measures previously approved by local voters to support our local schools.
Measure R includes strict taxpayer accountability provisions to ensure that funds are spent wisely and as promised. Annual audits are reviewed by an independent citizens’ oversight committee to track every penny of Measure R spending, and will be reported annually to taxpayers. No Measure R funds can be taken by the state or used for administrator salaries. An exemption is available for senior citizen homeowners, age 65 and older.
US News and World Report just named Malibu High School among the top 100 best public high schools in the country and Measure R will keep our schools on top.
On Feb. 5, vote “yes” on Measure R to ensure that Malibu schools stay among the best in the nation.
Wendy Sidley, PTA board member
Webster Elementary School and Malibu High School