To prevent closure of neighborhood elementary schools; preserve class size reduction (K-3) and prevent 60% increase in class size; purchase textbooks and instructional materials; fund vital art, music and academic programs; retain quality teachers and librarians, shall the Santa Cruz City Elementary School District levy a special assessment of $6.75/month per parcel for five years, beginning July 1, 2003, exempting parcels owned/occupied by seniors (65+), with independent community oversight and accountability to ensure that funds are used only to improve student learning, by undertaking actions such as:

1. supporting our neighborhood elementary schools;
2. providing the local funding for class size reduction (K-3), which is then matched more than six fold by the state and preventing a 60% increase in class size in Kindergarten, First, Second and Third Grades;
3. purchasing up-to-date textbooks and much-needed instructional materials;
4. funding art, music and academic programs;
5. retaining qualified and experienced teachers, librarians and other employees.

An exemption will be granted for parcels owned by one or more persons 65 years of age or over who occupy said parcel as a principal residence, upon one-time application for exemption.

In addition to the accountability measures required by law, an independent community oversight committee shall be appointed by the Board of Education to oversee all expenditures funded by the measure in order to ensure that said funds are spent wisely and used only for the purposes approved by the voters. The oversight committee shall monitor the expenditures of these funds by the District and shall report on an annual basis to the community on how these funds have been spent.

IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS MEASURE B

If this measure is approved by at least two-thirds of those voting on it, the Santa Cruz City Elementary School District ("the School District") will be authorized to levy a new special tax assessment on real property. The tax would be imposed for five years beginning July 1, 2003, at the rate of $6.75 per month on each parcel within the School District. Over one year, the tax would therefore total $81.

The proceeds of the special tax, if approved, may be applied only for the purposes set out in the text of Measure B in this pamphlet.

In accordance with State law, the School District Board shall create a designated account into which the proceeds of the special tax shall be deposited. Furthermore, an annual written report shall show the amount of the special taxes which have been collected and expended, and the status of projects to be funded from those proceeds. Additionally, an independent citizens’ oversight committee will be appointed which will monitor expenditures and report annually.

The special tax shall be collected in the same manner as those property taxes which are based upon property value. An exemption from the tax will be granted for any parcel owned by one or more persons 65 years of age or over who occupy the parcel as a principal residence, if the owner makes a one-time application for exemption.

In March 2002, voters of the School District approved a four-year parcel tax on parcels within the District at the rate of $70 per year. The measure presently before the voters would overlap for a period of time in which both parcel taxes would be owing; that is, the new tax would be in addition to the existing tax during that period.

A "yes" vote is to approve imposition of the special parcel tax.

A "no" vote is against imposition of the special parcel tax.

DANA McRAE, COUNTY COUNSEL

By Jane M. Scott, Assistant County Counsel

ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF MEASURE B

To prevent state cuts from devastating our schools, parents and community leaders worked with the District to create Measure B, to raise necessary funds to maintain high-quality neighborhood schools.

There is no other source of funding to preserve small classes, keep our neighborhood schools open and maintain vital programs. We must act at the local level to preserve our schools.

Vote YES on Measure B:

• Neighborhood elementary schools allow more local control and parent involvement.

• Closing neighborhood schools would force small children of working parents to find their own way to and from school, covering longer distances along busy city streets.

• Teachers know that small classes help children learn better with more individual attention. Measure B will prevent a 60% increase in class size for our youngest students.

• School closures will result in overcrowding and many more kids at remaining schools.

• Measure B will fund textbooks, reading materials, art, music, teachers and librarians.

Every dollar from Measure B will stay in Santa Cruz and cannot be taken by the state. An independent community oversight committee will ensure that Measure B funds are used only to safeguard quality education. A permanent exemption is available to senior homeowners 65 and older who file once.

It’s worth an investment of a few dollars a month to maintain small class size, keep neighborhood schools open and fund vital programs. Please vote YES on Measure B.

s/ Bruce McPherson, California State Senator

s/ Katherine Beiers, Former Santa Cruz Mayor, Retired Librarian

s/ Dora M. Gonzalez, Kindergarten Teacher

s/ George "Bud" Winslow, Senior Senator, Retired County School Superintendent

REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF MEASURE B

Albeit meaningless, the state budget crisis poses less of a grave threat to our local schools than the unrestrained spending the School Districts have exhibited over the recent past years and the usual suspects that have signed on as supporters of Measure B so that they can pat themselves on the back for being great supporters of schools by lending their names as supporters of an unnecessary tax.

We fail to see how a new tax will allow more parental involvement in their schools. Give us a break, "COVERING LONGER DISTANCES……" , to get to school in a town the size of Santa Cruz? And whereas Teachers may know that smaller classes help children learn better, there are no studies over the past 10 years that definitively show that. And oh yes, we thought that Measure’s C & D last year were supposed to be the great school saving tax measures.

There is absolutely no need for that tax increase. As quoted in the Santa Cruz Sentinal March 18, 2003:

"The Governor’s proposal calls for the …the state’s K-12, CSU and UC systems will see an increase in funding."

s/ Carolyn M. Busenhart, Chairperson
Taxpayers Against Measure B – Santa Cruz

ARGUMENT AGAINST MEASURE B

Despite declining enrollments Santa Cruz City School District revenues have increased from $43 million to $55 million between 1996/97 and 2001/02. Put another way, ADA funding per student has gone from $4800 to $7000 per student or has increased 49%+ since 1996/97. Put a third way, if you were making $20 per hour in 1996/97, you would now be making $30+ per hour today if your income had kept up with the school district increases in revenues. *

THE QUESTIONS SHOULD BE:

1. Why are they closing our schools?
2. Why don’t the schools have instructional materials for vital art, music, and academic programs?
3. Why do they have to increase class size?
4. What ARE they doing with our money?

NOT

s/ Carolyn M. Busenhart, Chairperson
Taxpayers Against Measure B – Santa Cruz
s/ Vernon C. Bohr Jr, Treasurer
Taxpayers Against Measure B – Santa Cruz

REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT AGAINST MEASURE B

If we don’t act by passing Measure B, drastic funding cuts will turn back the clock on our improving local schools.

Our community has made an investment in our schools. We’ve reduced class size, offered competitive teacher salaries to attract and retain good teachers, and enriched curriculum with art, music and other academic programs in addition to reading, writing and math.

This community investment has paid dividends. Student achievement is up, small class sizes offer every child the individual attention he or she needs to succeed, and neighborhood schools are encouraging more parents to become involved with their children’s schools and lend a hand in the classroom.

Now, the state budget crisis is threatening to dismantle all of our community’s hard-won progress. Our district was targeted for millions of dollars in budget cuts once state officials decided to balance their own budget on the backs of local school districts.

Without Measure B, Santa Cruz elementary schools face drastic cuts such as closing two of six neighborhood schools, increasing class sizes in Kindergarten through Third Grade, laying off teachers and librarians, and slashing funds for textbooks, reading materials, arts and music.

Fortunately, every dollar raised by Measure B will stay right here in our district and can’t be taken by the state. There is no other source of funding to preserve small classes, keep our neighborhood schools open and maintain vital programs.

We hope you will join us in protecting local students from the state budget crisis. Vote YES on B.

s/ John Laird, California Assemblymember

s/ Emily Reilly, Santa Cruz Mayor

s/ Phyllis Stagnaro, Special Education Preschool Teacher

s/ George Ow, Jr., Business & Property Developer

s/ Daniel Nane Alejandrez, Executive Director, Non-Profit