Measure EE, the parcel tax, was passed by voters in 2009 with the intent to help tide the School District over during California’s budget mess. The voters decided to annually parcel out about $1.12M in assessments for the next five years. Little did we know that it was going to turn into The Great Recession, accompanied by a long and sluggish recovery.
The Old Switch-a-Roo
During its original campaign, the previous School Board offered voters a wish list of what it wanted to do with this extra funding. A funny thing happened after it was passed. The community, only then, learned that the School Board’s listing was not really prioritized, that the Board already had decided that over 80 percent of the funds were to be used to pay for teacher salaries in advanced AP classes. Very little was going to be spent on school libraries and other general student amenities.
No-Brainer
Our present School Board is pondering whether to ask the community to support its renewal and/or run yet another multi-million dollar facilities bond. As for Measure EE, the School Board really has no choice but to ask the community for its renewal; though It could ask for a parcel tax increase.
Passage to India
By allocating Measure EE funding to ongoing expenditures, such as teacher salaries, the previous Board has compelled voters into the unenviable position of having no choice but to vote for the measure’s renewal, or cut District funding for teacher salaries by 4 to 5 percent.
Redirection of Funding
The only way I could come out and actually support Measure EE's renewal and/or increase is if this Board would pledge to redirect its funding on directions other than to District employee salaries, to spend it directly on all the students' behalf, where it should have been spent the first time.
Mr. Laase may be contacted at GMLaase@aol.com
