Parcel tax arguments

What Will The Parcel Tax Do? Both Sides Of The Argument.

For and Against the Parcel Tax

Bellwether: “A male sheep which leads the flock, with a bell on its neck. A leader of a thoughtless crowd” —Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary

THE VENTURA UNIFIED SCHOOL TAX MEASURE

[MEASURE H—A PARCEL TAX]

On November 2, 2010, voters in the City of Ventura will be asked to approve Measure H.  That measure, adopted by the Ventura Unified School Board, proposes to place a special parcel tax upon each parcel of real property in the City of Ventura.  This parcel tax, if approved, will impose a cost of $96 per year per parcel of real property for a period of four (4) years.  Seniors are allowed to claim an exemption.  If approved it is projected that this will raise $4.5 million.

The proponents argue in support of the measure:

  • Funding will be locally controlled, not state controlled
  • Money will be used for academic programs like math, science, reading and writing, music, technology and art. Allows the District to improve art and music programs, and fund computers and other classroom technology.
  • Class sizes will be smaller
  • It is limited to four years.
  • Senior citizens can claim an exemption.

The opponents urge rejection of this parcel tax measure and argue:

  • This parcel tax is being used to replace State of California revenue so that the schools can continue to pay 100% of employee health benefits, or inflated salaries of principals and administrators.
  • Over the last two years, the staff reductions have been more in the lower paid teaching positions and fewer in the higher cost administrative positions. The average teacher is paid $70,000 per year whereas the average administrator is paid $127,000 per year.
  • Class sizes will not be reduced. In the last two years 68 teachers have been let go but only 3.9 staff position have been terminated. We need teachers, not high paid administrators.
  • The school district pays 100% of employee health benefits. These employees resist any effort to require them to contribute to their own health benefits because they believe it is an entitlement. The budget is currently at $12 million, or 8.5% of the entire budget.
  • The School District has budgeted for zero cost increases for health benefits over the next 3 years. Health care costs are, in fact, projected to increase 20 -30%. The reality is that any new tax money will be used to meet these increased costs.
  • This new parcel tax is being sought at a time when Federal and State taxes are also increasing.
  • In 2009-2010 the School District reduced programs, increased class size and eliminated 45 positions. At the same time, only 1 administrative position was lost.
  • The citizens should not have to pay for more administration, more health benefits and less in the classroom.
  • A parcel tax is not deductible and many larger homes and business have more than 1 parcel. Some are on 5-6 parcels alone.
  • Many renters with children in school will never pay a penny of this new tax.

The Economic Facts Behind The Parcel Tax

So, what are the economic facts? Do they need more tax money, or not?  Here is economic and demographic data as published by the Ventura Unified School District.

BUT YOU BE THE JUDGE. Based upon the Ventura Unified School District’s own records, below are their numbers and our comments on what the numbers show.

 

Ventura Unified School District
Teacher Information – Number of Teachers
  2007-08 2008-09 2009-10
FTE
Unrestricted 656.284 659.372 612.369
Categorical 156.128 157.354 184.836
Total FTE 812.412 816.726 *797.205
* 19.521 fewer teachers 2007-10
Salary Cost 57,438,502 57,909,537 56,612,029
Retirement 4,677,014 4,714,642 4,621,021
Health Benefits 7,746,829 7,954,965 8,073,226
Other Statutory Benefits 3,435,244 3,160,245 2,845,827
Total Cost 73,297,589 73,739,389 72,152,103
1FTE= I person
1.5 FTE = 1 full time and 1 part timer at 20 hours a week

Highlighted added: with a reduction of 19.521 teachers (816 minus 797), Health Benefits increased 4%.

Now we’ll examine the administrators  (i.e. management):

Ventura Unified School District
Administrators & Confidential
  2007-08 2008-09 2009-10
FTE
Unrestricted 65.500 68.200 70.150
Categorical 32.350 32.968 30.000
Other Funds 7.900 8.000 8.000
Total FTE 105.750 109.168 108.150
Salary Cost 9,757,307 10,276,704 10,253,454
Retirement 904,152 955,303 952,694
Health Benefits 962,361 1,053,959 1,077,469
Other Statutory Benefits 698,092 679,990 686,978
Total Cost 12,321,912 12,965,957 12,970,594
Note: FTE means Full Time Equivalent.  
1FTE= I person  
1.5 FTE = 1 full time and 1 part timer at 20 hours a week.

 

Now we examine the data concerning Administrative personnel.  The number changed from 109 to 108, a decrease of one person in the same 2008-2010 period.  Health benefits for the administrative employees increased 3%.

 

Ventura Unified School District
Clerical
  2007-08 2008-09 2009-10
FTE
Unrestricted 115.029 118.450 124.138
Categorical 39.468 40.910 28.355
Other Funds 12.863 13.000 10.750
Total FTE 167.360 172.360 163.243
Salary Cost 7,101,778 7,285,435 7,070,254
Retirement 854,782 887,268 874,119
Health Benefits 1,406,694 1,461,656 1,486,686
Other Statutory Benefits 858,682 839,742 786,094
Total Cost 10,221,937 10,474,101 10,217,153
Note: FTE means Full Time Equivalent.  
1FTE= I person  
1.5 FTE = 1 full time and 1 part timer at 20 hours a week.

 

In the period of 2008 to date Clerical personnel was reduced by 9 people, from 172 to 163 people.  Health Benefits increased 7%.

The Ventura Unified School District balanced their budget for 2009-10, and with the reductions listed below balanced their budget for the fiscal year 2010-11.

 

Ventura Unified School District
 
2010-11 Budget Presentation
June 8, 2010
Staffing Changes – reductions
2010/00   FTEs Cost Saving  
Elementary K-3 from 21.44 to 23.44 (15.00)            (963,700)
Secondary Eliminate 9th Gr.Math & Eng. CSR (6.40)            (483,200)
Certificated, Other (3.50)            (309,800)
Classified Staff (12.50)            (269,000)
Administrative Staff (2.80)            (356,100)
(40.20)         (2,381,800)

 

To assist in interpreting this chart the highlights have been added to illustrate the results of the proposal. Yellow indicates the teachers that have or will be dismissed.  Pink indicates the number of administrative positions eliminated.

APPOINTMENT OF A LOCAL CITIZEN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE

The appointment of the oversight committee would be made by the School Board.  Presumably, members of the board of the school administration would select candidates for the panel.  Once appointed this citizen committee will meet once a year, after the fact, to review how the money was spent.   This new parcel tax money, if approved by the voters, will go into a general fund.  It is not clear what this citizen committee is to do after the money has been allocated and spent?   There are no provisions in this tax proposal that tells us what the powers of this committee would be, or how they would take the School Board to task for an improper expenditure, or how they would recover the money if not spent properly.

EDITORS COMMENT:

The trend of local legislative bodies is to “appoint a citizen oversight committee” to act as a watchdog whenever a tax increase is sought.   On the face of it this provides our citizen-voter with the comfort of being told that their neighbor will be watching how the money is to be spent.  But is that the reality? Will the money to be used for the kids and the class room, as promised by the proponents? Or will the money be used to pay salaries and retirement benefits of highly paid school administrators as the opponents to this measure argue?  You must decide.

Misleading voters by local government in an effort to obtain approval for increased taxes from our citizens is not without historical example.  The promises  to use tax money for one purpose in order to get your vote,  and then switching to use the money for another purpose smacks of chicanery, at best.  In 2004 the Oxnard Union High School District Board of trustees promised Camarillo voters that if they would support Measure H to raise $135,000,000 the new tax  money would be used to build a new high school in Camarillo.  Not only did this not happen the Board reneged on their promise, and this week voted to use the money to build a school in Oxnard.  No wonder folks in Camarillo support their Measure U in the November 2nd election to separate from the Oxnard Union High School District.  Such antics are disgraceful, and does nothing more than further add to the dismal view of our government.

Editors:

B. Alviani           K. Corse     T. Cook

J. Tingstrom     R. McCord

For more information like this, subscribe to our newsletter, Res Publica. Click here to enter your name and email address.

 

0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *