The early stirrings of conversation about the possibility of a new tax for Castro Valley have begun at the school district, whose finances have been gutted by state failures over the past three years.
A discussion about parcel taxes—which are unlike other kinds of taxes because they can be applied directly to local schools without passing through state hands—is expected to get started "as a discussion item only" at the board's May 26 meeting. Last week, the board listened to an expert give them the highlights of lessons he has learned from past experience helping districts custom-build a tax structure that voters will approve and appreciate.
Latest trend: shifting from 'enrich' to 'something's really wrong'
"The building's on fire and we really have to do something," said consultant Brad Sender, paraphrasing the latest shifts in how schools talk to the voting public.
In the 1980s and 1990s, schools used words like enrich, enhance and strengthen, he said. But since the recession began in 2008 and drastic budget cuts for education followed, schools are saying, "Something's really wrong and we have to try to do something," Sender said.
Piedmont and Menlo Park school districts have levied hefty parcel taxes for many years, helping to explain the high-quality education there.
Castro Valley Unified School District, also an educational gem, so far has managed to avoid parcel taxes through effective management and successful school bond measures, and most recently by raising hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations through grass-roots efforts spearheaded by Save Our Schools Castro Valley.
Good schools make houses more valuable
Last week, Patch reader Michael Kusiak posted a comment tying school performance to property values. "CVUSD is why we bought here, and it's at the core of what makes CV a community," he said.
"As a temporary measure, maybe generating $100 to $300 per household with exemptions for seniors and lower income brackets would be a smart investment to serve as a stopgap until the revenue situation stabilizes," he wrote.
The school board so far is nowhere near proposing a parcel tax, let alone proposing one at that level of detail. At the moment, board members are just listening.
The earliest action would be a decision to survey the community.
"A decision to poll is not a decision to hold an election," Superintendant Jim Negri told board members at their April 14 meeting. Negri has been through "about 10 of these" during his service at other school districts, he said.
Factoids and observations from experience
Here are some of the nuggets of information that Sender left with board members:
- A parcel tax passes with a two-thirds majority, not 55 percent as for bond measures.
- Most (but not all) districts levy a flat fee that stays in place for six to eight years.
- Parcel taxes are unrelated to property taxes in that they are a flat fee, independent of a particular property's value.
- Unlike with bond measures, districts can tailor specifics that will be palatable to voters. For example, seniors can be exempted. Large companies with many parcels can be counted as having a smaller number if the parcels are contiguous. Apartments can be taxed at a lower flat fee.
- Most parcel taxes in the state are in the San Francisco Bay Area. They are few in Southern California and rare in the Central Valley.
- Most parcel taxes start at a modest level of, say, $24 or $42. Over time, as parcel taxes become part of the local culture and residents remain happy with the quality of education, voters readily agree to higher rates on the order of $300, or even as much as $600 in some cases.
- Negative events in a school district's history stay in the public's mind, even if management and quality has been superlative in recent years.
- The Bay Area mindset is generally favorable to parcel taxes because residents appreciate that the money raised here will be spent here, rather than sent to the state for equitable reallocation to all schools.
- Women are more likely than men to favor parcel taxes when the economy is strong, but they are almost as unlikely as men when the economy is weak, as it is now.
- Most surveys are conducted by phone and include 400 people because that number offers a margin of error of 4.5 percent, which is considered standard.
- The surveys cover all types of decision-makers within the school district's boundaries, no matter whether they live in apartments or have children in school.
Sender suggested keeping an eye on the economy. "It does in fact look like it's getting better," he said.
School board member George Granger pointed out that voters have tended to be supportive of schools in times of crisis. For example, a bond measure put on the ballot shortly after Sept. 11, 2001, did better than expected, he said.
"It's scary times for education," Granger said. Districts around the state talk about "falling off a cliff," not "gradual impacts to programs."
Board member Jo Loss said, "I think people are more attuned than ever because the budget cuts have been so severe."
"with the school district is how the money is used. There is too much administrative overhead. This needs to be trimmed down. Cut expenses in the bloated school district management." This kind of belief shows that some people have no idea how the money is required to be spent by the state and federal governments. If the local districts had more control, we would have more money where it is most needed. This is why you sometimes see new buildings and "overhead" getting funding while class size grows and support staff is cut. the federal and state govts (that are broken) are clueless as to what each district and school needs but they get to make the decisions on how the money is spent. As with all government spending, budget cuts and problems, and all the restrictions that come with the mess, PARCEL taxes may just bridge the gap until it is all straightened out. If not, not only will our home values suffer, but our community, our future and our youth will suffer as well. Of course, we can keep pouring money into the penal system as that seems to get a lot more funding than education these days....
If the school district wants to teach this political correct stuff then it should be done as an extra-curricular activity that is self-funded. In other words, no tax money used.
Don't facts matter? Do you know how much is spent on these "politically correct" classes & events? What program would you bring back with the dollars you would save by cutting these "politically correct" events? Are you suggesting that learning about ethnicity and diversity don't have any value in Castro Valley Schools? It would be helpful if you would be more specific when you use the term "politically correct classes and events." Sure, you mentioned Days of Diversity - is that the only thing you're referring too? Are there particular bits of curriculum that is taught in the classroom that you object too?
Growing up, I was talk to respect others, regardless of color or religion. This is something that should be done at home and in church. The basics need to be taught BEFORE anything else is taught. Writing properly definitely needs to be emphasized. Take a look at any forum that kids use. The grammar and spelling is atrocious. Reading is a needed course. Social studies is a needed course and a course that needs to be taught correctly. Example: History needs to be told as it really happened. Don't sugar coat it. Math is another course that needs to be taught. When was the last time you had someone count your change back to you? Have you ever been at a store when the electricity went out and the cashiers couldn't figure out the tax rate or how much you owe?
I did not say I found a discrepancy in the teach of history. I said it needs to be told as it really happened and not in a politically correct way. Take the Civil War: Most curricula teach that the main reason for the war was the issue of slavery. It wasn't. Yes, slavery was one of the reasons but the main reasons were economic and the rights of the states.
What's especially disgusting is subsidizing college students. Where does it say in the Constitution (state or federal) that a person is entitled to a college education? If a person wants to go to college than that person should pay for it.
And, let's not forget, our home values are directly related to the success or failure of the school district. David: Where in the constitutiton does it say that say that a person is entitled to an elementary / middle / high school education? Why are you drawing the line at College?
I consider a high school diploma to be something vital. I think we are paying too much for what we get, though. College is a different story. In the first place, contrary to what the "experts" say, not everyone should go to college. Secondly, I think colleges should be subsidized by business. They are the ones that benefit from college educated people. Lastly, I think it would be best for students to take a year or two off from education, get a job, and save for college. This accomplishes a couple of things. One is that if the student has to spend his own money on his education then he is going to appreciate it more. Second thing it accomplishes is that it shows the student what real life is all about.
What good is a good school district if there is a high crime rate? Lousy roads? High taxes? It is also because of people that are willing to pay inflated prices for their houses that others cannot afford to purchase a house. This child-centric view so many have is ruining the nation. With everything geared to children, we are raising a generation of self-centered kids.
It almost seems as if school districts are bottomless pits. More and more money provided them and more and more money needed. I don't know what the solution is, but I do know that over the years ballot referendums have raised our taxes for the local school district and I'm not eager to have it happen again.
Unfortunately, the state of California has determined that people do not have the right to work in certain industries unless they join a union.
In today's child-centric, government union ruled world, it is considered sacrilegious to deny schools money. After all, it's for the children.
http://supportpleasantonschools.com/Read_Measure_E/
Rather than continuously requesting money from people, why not take an h0nest look at the schools (or other entities) and determine where there is wasteful spending. There are way too many taxes being imposed now. I picked several hoses at random on the Alameda County Assessor's office. There are 13 CSA ST LIGHTING CV SAN SEWER SVC MOSQUITO ABATEMENT CSA PARAMEDIC CSA VECTOR CONTROL PARAMEDIC SUPPLMNT ALA CO CLEAN WATER FLOOD BENEFIT 2 CSA VECTOR CNTRL B MOSQUITO ASSESS 2 AC TRANSIT MEAS VV EAST BAY TRAIL LLD HARD - PARK MAINT I live in the part of Castro Valley that, unfortunately, is in the domain of the armpit of the Bay Area - Hayward. We have 14 assessments (the additional one is for Hayward USD). One thing that bothers me about Pleasanton Measure E is the citizens oversight committee. The committee itself is a good idea. I do not think the committee members should be appointed my the Board of Education. That's akin to asking the wolf to pick out the guards for the hen house.
You want to talk about a horrendous waste of tax payer money? Where is that money coming from, anyhow? Oh, that's right, the money fairy. Couldn't possibly be tied to your taxes or mine. And while I like pretty flowers as much as the next person, it's a horrendous, and utterly shameful waste. That 8 million would have gone a long way towards closing the district's budget gap and would have served as a real, tangible investment in our community. Austerity my arse! Living within our means, bah! Who's calling the shots? I didn't sign up to pay for millions of dollars worth of highfalutin landscaping. Meanwhile, this comedy of errors has only caused suffering to what little commerce there is in Castro Valley. And it's simply preposterous to assume this $8M "beautification" project will result in anything except further tax increases - taxes better spent on meaningful investment or not at all. And no, this will not result in a business renaissance. Sorry. I hear crickets chirping. Not a hint of cavalier commentary about why in this time of economic duress, we simply can't afford such frivolity. Glad to know Castro Valley has it's priorities straight.
I love the way politicians and bureaucrats say that it won't raise taxes because the business along the Boulevard are being assessed a fee for this boondoggle. Evidently these "wise people" don't realize that businesses do NOT pay taxes. Any taxes they are charged are passed onto their customers. I like the idea of there being a fee for kids to go to school. Let those that benefit directly pay directly. They will appreciate it more. As it is, people think sending there kids to school doesn't cost them anything.