By Tom Fakehany
There is a Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School Board theory to solve their overspending problems that states that if you are choking on an ice cube, don't panic. Simply pour a jug of boiling water down your throat and presto — the blockage is almost instantly removed.
The sinfully rich of Malibu along with the Malibu City Council have once again persisted by placing Measure S (a re-worked version of the defeated Measure EE) on (this) week’s special election ballot. The Santa Monica homeowners, Santa Monica renters and those individuals living on fixed incomes will once again be burdened with this additional property tax, if it is passed, for years to come.
The sinfully rich celebrities and well-heeled corporate executives of Malibu, living in their gigantic ocean view citadels of 25,000-plus square-feet will pay the same amount of additional inequitable school parcel property taxes as a 1,500-square-foot Santa Monica house.
The Santa Monica homeowners, fixed income and renters are paying the major portion of the current parcel taxes and contributions to the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. The City of Santa Monica gave a donation (gift) of over $3 million to the school district last year, while the Malibu City Council was voting down a donation to the district.
Instead Malibu endorsed an addition parcel tax on Santa Monica homeowners, those of fixed income and renters. The Malibu school district teachers, administrators, unions, along with their PTAs have helped raised close to $200,000 to prop up Measure S.
Measure S was promised as a measure to “Save Our Schools.” It quickly became “Save Our Jobs” and is now known as “Save My Job.” Superintendent John Deasy of the SMMUSD in the April 18 edition of the Santa Monica Daily Press stated that with the financial problems in the State of California, few of the budget cuts will be reinstated even if the Measure S passes.
In the end, Superintendent Deasy stated, the financial condition of the schools rests with the State of California governor. This is the same governor who is currently attempting to gather our existing parcel tax (Measure Y) and distribute the money equally among all California school districts.
“The Parcel Tax” written by Professor Eric J. Brunner of San Diego State University for the Public Policy Institute of California, states that the parcel tax (Measure S) is used by the wealthy school districts to avoid the Serrano v. Priest decision that equally divides all education equally within the state — i.e. poor and wealthy schools receive the same amount of money for the education of each child. Professor Brunner concludes that: 1) the marginal cost of school spending under the parcel tax is high compared to the corresponding cost under the property tax; 2) the parcel tax is highly regressive because low-income homeowners bear a disproportionate share of the tax burden; and 3) the parcel tax raises issues of equity and most likely will put California’s system of public school finance back on trial.
The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association endorses “no” on Measure S. I ask you to vote “no” on Measure S.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 2, 2003. Read the original PDF.