Now that the school parcel tax passed last week, the local school district’s $13 million budget deficit will get some financial help.
Measure S — a $225 flat tax on parcels in Santa Monica and Malibu — will be in effect for six years and raise an estimated $6.5 million a year for the school district. School district administrators say many teachers who were supposed to be laid off will be able to get their jobs back. But there still are dozens of academic programs that face elimination if the school can’t close its budget deficit.
Some believe the Santa Monica City Council should buck up this year and give more than its usual $2 million annual contribution to the district. Last year, the City Council gave $3.5 million because of a similar budget crisis.
On June 17, the Council will be asked to give more to the school district when it adopts its budget.
So, this week Q-Line wants to know: “Should the City of Santa Monica give more to the local school district? Why or why not?”
Call (310) 285-8106 with your response before Thursday at 5 p.m. We’ll print them in Friday’s paper. Please limit your comments to a minute or less. It might help to think first about the wording of your response.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 9, 2003. Read the original PDF.