Fail: 1,857 / 64.46% Yes votes ...... 1,024 / 35.54% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

The ballot measure asks voters to decide whether a special tax should be imposed for five years on parcels of taxable real property within the District. A parcel of taxable real property is any unit of real property in the District that receives a separate tax bill for property taxes from the Contra Costa County Tax Collector. The special tax will be $70 per year on each parcel of taxable real property in the District, but $170 per acre of heavy industrial property. A parcel otherwise exempt from property taxes will also be exempt from the imposition of the special tax.

If approved by voters, the special tax will be collected by the Contra Costa County Tax Collector at the same time, in the same manner, and subject to the same penalties as ad valorem property taxes.

The ballot measure includes a senior citizen exemption. Any parcel owned and occupied as a principal residence by one or more persons sixty-five years of age or older will be exempt from the special tax upon proper application to the District.

The ballot measure is aimed at improving student reading, writing, math, and science skills. According to the ballot measure, the proceeds of the special tax will be used for the following purposes in all of the District's K-12 schools: to retain and attract highly qualified teachers and dedicated support staff by making salaries in the District more competitive with salaries in other Bay Area districts; to restore where feasible programs and positions lost in budget cuts; to maintain class sizes as small as possible; and to maintain safe, supportive, and quality schools. Proceeds from the special tax may be used only for the specific purposes set forth in the ballot measure and according to constitutional and statutory provisions.

The District will annually report to the governing board the amount of special tax proceeds collected and expended, and the status of any authorized projects funded by the special tax.

The use of proceeds from the special tax will be monitored and annually reported by a citizens' oversight committee to ensure that the proceeds from the special tax are spent for their authorized purposes.

Two-thirds (2/3) of those voting on the ballot measure must approve the measure for it to pass.

A "yes" vote is a vote in favor of authorizing the special tax.

A "no" vote is a vote against authorizing the special tax.

Every Yes vote for Measure B is a vote to help boost student achievement in our schools.

Budget cuts over the last few years have had a negative impact on the schools that serve our community. The John Swett Unified School District has been forced to eliminate more than 20 % of all of the jobs in the district.

Measure B will allow our schools to offer its teachers and staff salaries that are more competitive. It is the only way the district can avoid further budget cuts.

The facts are clear:

• Teachers in the John Swett Unified School District are among the lowest paid in the entire Bay Area.

• The district loses qualified teachers and staff to other districts because it cannot offer competitive salaries.

• Budget cuts have hurt: 22 teaching positions have been eliminated, all of the district's librarians have been dismissed, and the custodial staff has been cut in half.
• All funds raised by Measure B will be spent in our community.

The cost is reasonable. Measure B will cost homeowners $70 per year. It will cost Conoco Phillips $200,000 per year. Measure B will sunset in five years.

An exemption will be offered to all those who are 65 or older and who own and live in a home in the district.

Measure B is for our children and our community. Measure B is an investment in our future + a future we can control with our YES votes.

Join us in voting YES on Measure B.

James Delgadillo Board Member, Governing Board

Barbara V. Kotchevar Board Member, Governing Board

Janet Callaghan Board Member, Governing Board

Holly Myers Board Member, Governing Board

Norma J. Clerici Board Member, Governing Board

b) attract additional highly qualified teachers by making teacher salaries in the John Swett Unified School District more competitive with the salaries offered by other districts in the Bay Area,

c) retain and attract members of the district's highly qualified and dedicated support staff by making staff salaries in the John Swett Unified School District more competitive with the salaries offered by districts in the Bay Area

d) restore programs and positions lost due to budget cuts as feasible,

e) maintain class sizes that are as small as possible,

f) maintain safe, supportive, quality schools.

The revenues shall be fairly and equitably distributed to all K-12 schools operated by the District.

The expenditure of revenues shall be monitored by a volunteer, independent Citizens Advisory Committee. The number of Committee members and the procedure for their selection shall be established by Board resolution. This Committee shall provide an annual monitoring report to the Board and this report shall be posted on the District website.

Basis of Tax.

The tax shall be levied on all parcels of taxable real property in the District, as defined below, as follows:

Type of Parcel/Land Use Classification Rate of Annual Tax

Residential $70 per parcel

Commercial, excluding Heavy Industrial $70 per parcel

Heavy Industrial $170 per acre

"Parcel of taxable real property" is defined as any unit of real property in the District that receives a separate tax bill for ad valorem property taxes from the Contra Costa County Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office. All property that is otherwise exempt from or upon which no ad valorem property taxes are levied in any year shall also be exempt from the special tax in such year.

For purposes of the tax, "Heavy Industrial" property means property classified as such for taxation purposes by the Contra Costa County Assessor as Use Code 54.

An exemption may be granted on any parcel owned by one or more persons aged 65 years or older who occupies said parcel as a principal residence, upon application for exemption.

With respect to all general property tax matters within its jurisdiction, the Contra Costa County Tax Assessor or other appropriate County tax official shall make all final determinations of tax exemption or relief for any reason, and that decision shall be final and binding. With respect to matters specific to the levy of the special tax, including the Senior Citizen Exemption determination, the decisions of the District shall be final and binding.

Pursuant to California Constitution article XIIIB and applicable laws, the appropriations limit for the District will be adjusted periodically by the aggregate sum collected by levy of this special tax.

Accountability Measures

The proceeds of the special tax shall be applied only to the specific purposes identified above. The proceeds of the special tax shall be deposited into a fund, which shall be kept separate and apart from other funds of the District. No later than January 1 of each year while the tax is in effect, the District shall prepare and file with the Board of Education a report detailing the amount of funds collected and expended, and the status of any project authorized to be funded by this measure.

In addition, an independent Citizen's Oversight Committee shall be appointed by the Board of Education to ensure that the special tax proceeds are spent for their authorized purposes, and to report annually to the Board of Trustees and the public regarding the expenditure of such funds.

Severability

The Board of Education hereby declares, and the voters by approving this measure concur, that every section and part of this measure has independent value, and the Board of Education and the voters would have adopted each provision hereof regardless of every other provision hereof. Upon approval of this measure by the voters, should any part of the measure or taxing formula be found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid for any reason, all remaining parts of the measure or taxing formula hereof shall remain in full force and effect to the fullest extent allowed by law.