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Parcel tax initiative needs signatures

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Posted in Revenue and taxes

Twenty-two of state Sen. Joe Simitian’s colleagues in the Senate are co-sponsoring a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow lower the threshold for passing a local school parcel tax from two-thirds to 55 percent.

That’s an impressive number, except that Simitian, a Democrat from Palo Atlo, needs 27 votes – two-thirds of Senate – to move SCA 6 forward. And so far, as in years past, he can’t find one Republican willing to let voters decide for themselves.

Not willing to wait any longer, a new Bay Area-based group, Californians for Improved School Funding, has started circulating an initiative  that would achieve the same thing. (Read more and comment on this post)

By John Fensterwald on January 25th, 2010

Comments on Parcel tax initiative needs signatures

Elizabeth, you can download a petition signature form from www.improvedschoolfunding.com -- just click on the Sign Petition button, located in ...
- Mark Olbert
Elizabeth: Go to the web site, http://improvedschoolfunding.com/contact-info.aspx, where you can find out more from the organizers. If you're really fired ...
- John Fensterwald
Where do I sign the petition?
- Elizabeth Gomez
Are there any existing laws that limit the ways in which proceeds from parcel taxes can be spent? Does ...
- Paul Muench
 

Blaming the state is losing parcel tax strategy

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Posted in Revenue and taxes

Denouncing Sacramento for a school district’s financial troubles may be satisfying — and valid –  but it’s a poor strategy for convincing voters to pass a parcel tax, according to pollsters who surveyed  voters in Santa Clara County last month.  Their advice to school trustees looking to a parcel tax to help survive the bleak next few years: Don’t whine and don’t scapegoat. It won’t cut it to blame the state for your district’s financial troubles. Instead, convince voters that you have a plan to improve core academic programs.

The pollsters’ conclusion, that passing a parcel tax would be tough but doable, follows last Tuesday’s election in which seven of 11 parcel taxes passed statewide. (Read more and comment on this post)

By John Fensterwald on November 8th, 2009

Comments on Blaming the state is losing parcel tax strategy

Jonathon: There is no obligation under state law to share parcel tax revenue with charter schools, although I would argue ...
- johnf
Do you how many of these parcel tax proposals have or have not included money for charter schools? Currently ...
- Jonathon
 
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About The Educated Guess
The Educated Guess is a forum on education policies in California and Silicon Valley. It is funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and sponsored by the Silicon Valley E
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About John
John Fensterwald is a journalist at the Silicon Valley Education Foundation,
which he joined in September 2009. For 11 years before that, he wrote editorials at the Mercury News in San Jose, with a focus on education.
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