Laura Rosenthal has her facts wrong.
Prop BB opponents are not pitting Santa Monica against Malibu; that distinction belongs to the Santa Monica renter’s rights activists (SMRR) backing BB. They targeted us years ago when they recognized we were more supportive of our schools. It’s no coincidence that it took Malibu High just 16 years to rate higher than Santa Monica High has ever rated in its 100-year history. The Deasy equalization scheme and BB are the fruits of SMRR’s envy.
Rosenthal claims that “school bond measures are the only way we have of taking care of school facilities.” Wrong! Every school has a maintenance budget. If the budget is insufficient, the school is being mismanaged. But even if that weren’t the case, there are countless financing scenarios that do not burden homeowners. Numerous districts nationwide have successfully explored alternate financing scenarios, many learning to live without property taxes—ours ought to be equally creative.
The assessed value of a property has nothing to do with the owner’s ability to pay taxes. Rosenthal’s statement “we have also enjoyed the benefit of increased property values that are a direct result of our outstanding public schools” is insulting to every senior who simply wants to live in their home. Increased property values mean nothing to those who never intend to sell, but higher taxes, which burden the middle-class, can mean the difference between staying in your home, or being forced out.
Do we really want to choose between kids and seniors?
Wade Major