This past week, Q-Line asked, “What tax proposal would you support? Will you vote in favor of the flat $225 tax scheduled for the special election?”
Here are your responses: (Editor’s note: Because of the high volume of responses to this week’s question, the Daily Press will print more answers on Saturday.) ■ “It does not matter how much money we give the school district. They keep whoring themselves for more. They are like a union. It’s never enough. Prop X? Prop Y? $3 million annually from the city? It never ends. There is so much mismanagement in the school district. They deserve nothing until they clean up their act. That will happen when we stop electing SMRR-backed morons to the school board.” ■ “I support the $225 tax proposal. I think if people look at it, it might be wise to have some sort of an adjustment for the size and value of the property. If that’s not possible the $225 seems a reasonable figure. I know that because of the state cutbacks, the local district is really having some problems. We need to support them.” ■ “No tax until the school districts learn fiscal responsibility. If I am expected to take a pay cut, due to over taxation, the school administrators and teachers should be willing to take a pay cut as well. Especially fat cat district superintendents who serve very little purpose other than draw enormous salaries for effort expended as noted by a failing district. Other South Bay area school districts are doing well. On the other hand the Santa Monica school district is always singing the blues. Also, if apartment building owners are allowed to pass the tax on to tenants, those tenants living in an apartment converted to condos will have to pay a full parcel tax due to a condo being considered a parcel. Other apartment building tenants will have their tax divides by the number of units in the building. Due to the apartment building being considered one parcel. The condo renter, will be paying the same amount of tax as those who own mansions along San Vicente. This would create a terrible imbalance on who pays what amount of tax fairly.” ■ “I will vote no on the new tax. Whichever they propose. Certainly the school needs the money. The folks in charge are clueless. Throwing good money after bad will not solve anything. When the EE folks surveyed the community I indicated I would support a modest school parcel tax increase. Perhaps up to 100 percent. But, in their usual SMRR-inspired arrogance, the school board decided a $300 increase could be rammed down our throats. We need a fundamental change of philosophy in this town. Rent control is safe and will survive regardless of who controls the city council, school board, college board, or any other of the dozen commissions and boards SMRR uses to reward it’s faithful devotees. Rent control is a charter amendment and can only be amended by a vote of the people. The school system needs to stop worrying about whether they are suspending enough white kids. Stop inviting children to political rallies. Stop teaching children to commune with the homeless. And for god’s sake, teach our children in English. We have on the school board an individual who can’t even get his voter registration right. Who could not retain his job at the high school, yet is rewarded by the city with a $300,000 contract to preach racial hatred to teenagers in the Pico neighborhood. The superintendent wanted taxpayers to fund his house payment. Brownly at the SMRR Convention was over heard to say, ‘There could never be enough money.’ With fools like this in charge it’s a wonder Johnny can read at all. Wake up good citizens of Santa Monica. If you continue to vote the SMRR party line you can count on our schools being in the gutter. Vote the bums out.” ■ “I live in Santa Monica and pay my taxes in Santa Monica. I definitely do not approve of the $225 tax. Personally, I will order against it.” ■ “I’m not going to support or vote for the $225 tax. It’s the responsibility of the parents to pay for their spawn. As far children being our future, it’s a future of more thuggery with uncontrolled breeding that more responsible people have to pay for.” ■ “No, I am not going to support the parcel tax. The SMRR’s let their buddies off cheap. They bought off the business community by not doing the square footage. The renters don’t have to pay as much as the homeowners. So, I’m not voting for it.” ■ “For the school board I would vote for a tax proposal that was more equitable. I don’t think that the Watergarden should be counted should be counted as one parcel and a condo owner in Santa Monica should be counted as on parcel. I don’t think 18 acres should be counted the same as a 25 ft. lot in Ocean Park. I will vote no on the parcel tax.” ■ “I teach in the school district so you know how I will vote. I remind you that the parcel tax was supported by a majority of the voters last time. The main problem remains. The two thirds requirement for passage dictated by Prop 13. Proposition 13 was passed ages before these kids were born. This is absurd and outrageous. Overturn the two thirds requirement.” ■ “I ABSOLUTELY support the parcel tax to help the schools in Santa Monica and Malibu.” ■ “I strongly support the school board’s proposal. I don’t think the community begins to understand the threat that they comprise. I would favor both this proposal or other proposals, and indeed the previous proposal. I strongly believe it will benefit the community in many, many, many ways.” ■ “I fully support this measure because our schools are in a crisis at the moment. Unless there is some additional funding measure passed, there will be HUGE cuts in the schools, which are such an intricate part of our community. The degradation of our schools will be the leader of the degradation in our community. The schools and the community are linked so closely that they need to be funded to continue the incredible, superb education that we have. I will vote in favor of it.” ■ “I wholeheartedly support the flat $225 tax proposal to support the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District. Our students are our future and they are important to invest in now. Please count my vote to support the tax. I believe that the school district needs every dollar possible.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 7, 2003. Read the original PDF.