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. However, there still are dozens of academic programs that face elimination if the district can’t close its budget deficit.
And despite that City Hall doesn’t have a financial obligation to the school district, it has for years voluntarily contributed.
Some believe the Santa Monica City Council should buck up this year and give more than its usual $3 million annual contribution. Last year, the City Council gave an additional $1.5 million in one-time funds 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 11, 2003. Read the original PDF.