By Ann Payson and Rob Ulin Santa Monica
We are 17 year residents of Santa Monica (our first seven years in Ocean Park and the last 10 north of Montana). We have a second grader at Franklin Elementary and a kindergartner starting this fall. I love this city and our schools, but we have some serious problems that will not go away by themselves. The state-wide funding cuts to the public schools is our most immediate crisis. Santa Monica and Malibu voters have to act now to save our community!
I am talking about Proposition S — a local, district wide property tax of $225 per parcel per year for the next six years. Seniors would be exempted, so those of you on fixed incomes do not have to fear being priced out of your homes. This measure is desperately needed. Without it our schools will be devastated. We’ll be forced to make $13 million in budget cuts, which means we’ll lose 91 teachers, class size will increase and many valuable programs will be eliminated. This will be a devastating blow to the quality of our education.
Santa Monica-Malibu schools are among the best in this state and the property owners in this district enjoy high property values, which are directly linked to the value of our public schools. A yes vote on S is not just a vote for public schools, it is a vote for our community. It is in every resident’s interest to support our public schools. This is the case even if your child goes to private school, or if you have no school-age children. If you own property in Santa Monica you benefit by keeping the quality of the schools high. We’re not suggesting you vote yes on S for altruistic motives, do it for selfish reasons. Do it because you want to keep your property values high. $225 per year is a small price to pay to protect your biggest investment.
To those of you who oppose the flat property tax because it’s regressive, we agree it is regressive, but vote for it anyway. Initially, we thought we’d prefer a tax based on assessed property value but it turns out a tax like that would cause renters to bear an even higher proportion of this tax. On average, S will cost renters an additional $2 per month, whereas another type of tax could be 10 times that much. Our renters, particularly low income families with kids in the public schools, get much more out of the tax than they’ll be asked to give. If S doesn’t pass our community will deteriorate and that hurts everyone who lives here.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 28, 2003. Read the original PDF.