Politics & Government
Parcel Taxes Make Small Dent
Funds from Measure B and Measure M aren't enough to preserve the status quo in the Ravenswood City School District.
If Democratic lawmakers do pass a projected $4 billion tax increase for a 2012 referendum to balance the budget today, California's K-12 schools such as the ones in the Ravenswood City School District may be able to avoid further reductions in staff.
Ongoing State budget cuts and the loss of state tax revenues have already taken a toll on the district, forcing it to cut $3.2 million from its 2011-12 budget. Like school districts throughout the state, RCSD has been forced to increase class sizes, reduce teachers and merge two neighborhood schools, even though community members had taken steps to try to avoid that.
Measure B, which received strong support from Menlo Park voters and passed during the San Mateo County May 3, 2011 Consolidated Local Special Election on a “mail-in ballot,” will bring approximately $608,000 in local tax revenue annually from a $98 per parcel tax to the district.
The is ongoing for seven years and extends the previous parcel tax of the same amount (Measure M) for the same seven-year period, doubling the tax revenue to $1,216,000, with an exemption for seniors age 65 and older.
“Measure B is supporting academic progress by providing the funding that has been lost due to state cuts for the last four years,” said Megan Curtis, Chief Financial Officer of RCSD.
“But even with the passage of Measure B cuts cannot be avoided. However, the cuts would have been more severe,” she said.
According to her, Measure B does not make up the shortfall in the budget. To make up the difference, the district:
- Increased K-3 class size from 20:1 to 25:1
- Increase Grade 4-8 class size from 29:1 to 31:1
- Reduced 26 teaching positions
- Laid off of some classified staff
- Merged two schools
- Reduced operational costs
“Cuts in prior years were kept as far from the classroom as possible,” Curtis said.
“The prior year cuts were made to Management, Administration and Classified staff along with materials and supplies. Until 2011-12 no classroom teachers or staff had been impacted.”
