State ed chief backs flat $50 property tax to fund public schools

North County Times ^ | 03-07-06 | PHILIP K. IRELAND

[Amerigomag]

CARMEL VALLEY ---- The state Department of Education is working to place an initiative for a $50 parcel tax on the November ballot as a way to pump an additional $500 million a year into public school education, State Superintendent of Schools Jack O'Connell said Monday. The tax, an annual assessment of $50 on every property in California, could generate an additional $500 million that would be earmarked specifically for California schools.

EdVoice, described by its leaders as an organization of reform-minded philanthropists who support greater student achievement through investment, is backing the measure, said EdVoice president Christopher Cabaldon. The Sacramento-based advocacy organization began collecting the necessary 600,000 signatures last week, said Cabaldon, adding that it plans to collect 1 million signatures to make sure the measure qualifies. Proponents have 150 days to gather the signatures.

EdVoice grew out of the passage of Proposition 39, which lowered the percentage of votes required for passage of a general obligation bond from 66 percent to 55 percent, making it easier to pass local bonds. Many of the same proponents pushing this proposed initiative backed Prop. 39.

Should the measure be approved, O'Connell said he envisioned increasing the tax every four years by an additional $50. O'Connell vowed that the parcel tax proceeds would add to, not replace, existing school funding streams. The legislature would be prohibited from siphoning money away or attaching onerous "red tape" requirements to school districts seeking the funds, Cabaldon said.

Unlike the myriad rules imposed by the legislature to obtain current state "Class-size Reduction" funds, the parcel tax fund would allow freedom to school districts to reduce classes to any size at any grade level, Cabaldon said. Obtaining the funds would be a relatively simple application similar to a block grant, he said.

[Flavius Josephus]

Fifty dollars per property! That's pretty good. My tax bill was almost 2000 last year.

[Feiny]

We have some of the worst performing schools in the nation while spending the most per student.

Yeah, more taxes...thats the answer.

[Skooz]

Property taxes are evil.

And, to allow those who own no property to vote for them, is especially repugnant.

[Feiny]

That is an additional $50.
They seem to vote for more property taxes every year.
Its fer the chiiiilllldruuuun!

[Ben Mugged]

Why? School enrollment is down and teachers are being laid off. Just juicing up another entitlement program IMHO.

[randomnumber]

No politican ever met a tax they didn't like.

Property taxes already have a portion earmarked for education, or why I left California.

[pikachu]

I thought that this type of crap eneded in CA with Prop 13. Before that residents got Willie Browned regularly up the Unruh!

[Abathar]

Look again, this is on top of all taxes already paid, and they want to raise it every 4 years by $50 continuously.

In violation of my tagline, but what the hey...

[Snoopers-868th]

Sounds like just another way to grab more money for a failing system. Throwing money at it does no good. Could it be possible that public school systems began to fail when teaching to the average went by the wayside and schools were expected and mandated to provide education for the 'exceptional' (both sides of the equation)? I really don't know that is a question.

[cinives]

I don't think school enrollment is down in CA - it's all the illegals...

[Gay State Conservative]

Sounds like the California Teachers Association has come up with a new way to reach into the wallets of taxpayers.

If California is anything like Massachusetts,this tax will be $1000/yr within 10 years.

[DennisR]

"Should the measure be approved, O'Connell said he envisioned increasing the tax every four years by an additional $50. O'Connell vowed that the parcel tax proceeds would add to, not replace, existing school funding streams."

[Amerigomag]

My tax bill was almost 2000 last year.

My liquor bill was $100 last week but I still resent California's socialists and unions digging deeper into my pocket.

A better(?) education for Mexico's poor and less booze for me. Outrageous!

[umgud]

Should the measure be approved, O'Connell said he envisioned increasing the tax every four years by an additional $50.

Why don't they just make it a flat $5,000 per parcel now? Why add $50 every year? These people make my blood boil.

[goldstategop]

Rich liberals backed by our public teachers unions and the State educrats, want to impose a $50 parcel tax on every home and business in California without regard to ability to pay. Its an attempt to destroy Prop. 13's 1% tax annual tax assessment limit. If this passes, the American Dream will become unaffordable to current homeowners like me.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[calex59]

Aren't property taxes in CA "earmarked" for schools now? That is what I was always told. How about they just earmark the taxes they take in now and stop spending them on other items. Get spending under control and they won't have to keep taxing, taxing, taxing. The dimwit way, tax and spend and tax again.

I need to get out of this state, as it doesn't look as if conservatives will ever get power back in this state, at least not in my lifetime.

[aligncare]

EdVoice, described by its leaders as an organization of reform-minded philanthropists

Philanthropic...with YOUR money!

[luckystarmom]

That's in addition to the property taxes.

On my home in San Jose, that's in addition to the $12,000 I already pay for property taxes.

I like how they will keep on increasing the parcel tax.

I think the schools get plenty of my money.

First, I think we need to get rid of all of the illegal aliens out of public education. I think the schools would have plenty of money for the legal residents.

[CodeToad]

$50 today, $5,000 tomorrow. Land rents.