Increase local control and allow local investment in schools. 

Education has already been cut $5.4 billion this year, another $700 million next year and additional cuts of $5.3 billion are on the table.  This represents the first time since the Great Depression that schools have actually seen a year-to-year reduction in funding.  Clearly the Legislature and Governor are not only unwilling to make an investment in our schools, but they have supported unprecedented and devastating cuts.

SCA 6 (Simitian, D-Palo Alto) would help by allowing voters the ability to do what the Legislature and Governor have not been willing to do: increase revenues for education.  The measure would place a constitutional amendment before the voters, which would lower the vote threshold to 55 percent for school districts, community college districts and county offices of education to pass local parcel taxes.

SCA 6 would empower local voters to invest in their schools based on the needs of their communities by requiring a tough, but fair 55 percent vote to pass local parcel taxes, while protecting taxpayers and homeowners with accountability provisions that will ensure that funds generated from parcel taxes are used only for educational purposes.

This bill requires a two-thirds vote to get out of the Legislature, so it is important that we contact all members and urge them to support giving local communities the opportunity to support their schools.  Please contact your Senator AND Assembly Member and let them know that this represents an important option for schools and communities and urge them to support SCA 6.

Staff: Debra Brown, Sr. Legislative Advocate, dbrown@csba.org or Marites Ares, Legislative Analyst, mares@csba.org

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

As a school board member in your legislative district, I am writing to urge you to support SCA 6 by Senator Joe Simitian. SCA 6 would empower local voters to invest in their schools based on the needs of their communities by requiring a tough, but fair 55 percent vote to pass local parcel taxes.

This bill would place a constitutional amendment before the voters, which would lower the vote threshold to 55 percent for school districts, community college districts and county offices of education to pass local parcel taxes.

This measure has never been as vitally important as it is now. The Legislature has already approved cuts of $5.4 billion to education this year, another $700 million cut next year and additional cuts of $5.3 billion are on the table. This has resulted in difficult and devastating cuts to programs and services to students, and further deeper cuts will have to made in the coming the months.

Voters have continuously expressed that investing in our children's education is a top priority and they should be given the opportunity to demonstrate that support in the election booth. SCA 6 would lower the vote threshold to 55 percent to pass local parcel taxes, while protecting taxpayers and homeowners with accountability provisions that will ensure that funds generated from parcel taxes are used only for educational purposes.

For these reasons, I urge your support of SCA 6 (Simitian).

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
May 27, 2009