Pass: 8,594 / 80.49% Yes votes ...... 2,083 / 19.51% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Meaning of Voting Yes/No

A YES vote on this measure means:

A "yes" vote is a vote to approve a qualified special tax on parcels within the District for an eight year period of time.

A NO vote on this measure means:

A "no" vote is a vote not to approve the qualified special tax on parcels within the District for an eight year period of time.

A school district, following notice and public hearings, has the authority to levy special taxes upon approval by two-thirds of the votes cast on the special tax proposal pursuant to section 4 of Article XIIIA of the California Constitution and sections 50075-50077, 50079, and 53722 of the California Government Code.

The Board of Trustees of the Mountain View Whisman School District proposes renewing and levying a qualified special tax on each parcel within the district. The parcel tax would be levied for a period of 8 years based on the square footage of each parcel located within the District. The tax per square footage would be calculated on the following basis: 0-8,000 square feet, $127; 8,001-14,000 square feet, $254;14,001-22,000 square feet, $339; 22,001-28,000 square feet, $508; 28,001-44,000 square feet, $677; and over 44,000 square feet, $1,016. The proceeds of the tax would be used to maintain school libraries; maintain small class sizes; maintain education, art and music programs; increase instructional programming; attract and retain highly qualified teachers; and provide support for extra curricular and co-curricular activities. The proceeds of the special tax would not be used for administrators' salaries or benefits.

Any owner, age 65 and over, who occupies a parcel as a principal residence, or any person receiving Supplemental Security Income for a disability regardless of their age, may be exempt from the special tax upon annual application for exemption.

The proceeds of the special tax would be deposited into a separate fund as required by law. If the special tax is approved, the district would appoint an independent fiscal oversight committee to review the expenditure of special tax proceeds. If the special tax is approved, the District's appropriations limit would be increased by the amount equal to the special tax collected for each year the special tax is authorized.

A "yes" vote is a vote to approve a qualified special tax on parcels within the District for an eight year period of time.

A "no" vote is a vote not to approve the qualified special tax on parcels within the District for an eight year period of time.

Ann Miller Ravel
County Counsel
By: /s/ Susan Swain

Lead Deputy County Counsel

Mountainn View Whisman School District

Measure C will renew critical funding for our local elementary and middle schools that is about to expire.

In 2004 70% of voters approved a school parcel tax measure that provides stable local funding that has helped our schools weather fluctuations in the economy and state funding. An Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee has reported that the funds were spent as promised.

This funding is set to expire next year.

If the parcel tax expires, our schools will lose $1.7 million in annual parcel tax funding on top of the $2.7 million in state funding our schools are expected to lose as a result of the state budget deficit. Cuts of this magnitude would have a significant impact on the quality of our schools. Mountain View Whisman School District would be forced to consider increasing class sizes, cutting school libraries, reducing music and art education, and teacher and staff layoffs.

Measure C extends this important funding for 8 years and increases the parcel tax by four dollars a month (52 dollars per year) to adjust for inflation.

Specifically, Measure C funds will:

• Attract and retain qualified teachers
  
• Maintain small class sizes
  
• Keep school libraries open and staffed
  
• Continue music and art education
  
• Fund programs that enhance student achievement

Seniors over age 65 can apply for an exemption so Measure C is not a burden to those on a limited fixed income.

Student test scores have improved for three consecutive years. By voting Yes on C you can ensure that this progress continues. Great schools help protect our property values and maintain quality of life.

Please vote YES on C.

/s/ Fiona N. Walter
President, Mountain View Whisman School District Board of Education

/s/ Gloria C. Valdez
MVWSD Teacher/MVEA President

/s/ Coeta Chambers
President, League of Women Voters - Los Altos-Mountain View Area

/s/ Allison Nelson
President/CEO Chamber of Commerce Mountain View

/s/ John R. Ford
Retired College Professor and 50-year Mountain View Resident

INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE

To continue to provide local revenue that cannot be taken by the State and to maintain the high quality of neighborhood schools, the Mountain View Whisman School District (K-8) proposes to maintain its expiring education parcel tax for a period of 8 years, beginning July 1, 2009, based on the square footage of each assessor's parcel located within the Mountain View Whisman School District, with an exemption available for senior citizens and persons on Supplemental Security Income, and to continue accountability measures in connection with the temporary levy that are over and above those required by law, including the appointment of an independent citizen oversight committee to provide oversight and accountability to ensure the funds are used to:

• Sustain high academic achievement and ensure student success as academic needs evolve by maintaining school libraries, small class sizes, outdoor education, music and arts programs, student leadership classes, after-school programs and by supporting English language learners;

• Expand class size reduction, offset reduced State funding for K-3 class size reduction, and lower class size for grades 4-8;

• Increase instructional time by providing intervention professionals at each school site, programming during school breaks, and Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) staff development and enrichment programming;

• Increase instructional time by providing after-school intervention professionals at each school site, programming during school breaks and Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) staff development and enrichment programming;

• Attract and retain highly qualified teachers by recruiting teachers with high demand skills and credentials;

• Provide program support for extra curricular/co-curricular activities;

• Protect the taxpayers' investment in education and ensure District accountability by providing for taxpayer oversight and independent financial audits of revenues and expenditures.

Size of Parcel	Amount of Annual Tax
0-8,000 square feet	$127 per parcel
8,001-14,000 square feet	$254 per parcel
14,001-22,000 square feet	$339 per parcel
22,001-28,000 square feet	$508 per parcel
28,001-44,000 square feet	$677 per parcel
More than 44,000 square feet	$1,016 per parcel

The proceeds of the education parcel tax shall be deposited into a separate account created by the District.

DEFINITION OF "PARCEL"
For purposes of the special tax, the term "Parcel" means any parcel of land which lies wholly or partially within the boundaries of the Mountain View Whisman School District, that receives a separate tax bill for ad valorem property taxes from the Santa Clara County Assessor's office. All property that is otherwise exempt from or upon which are levied no ad valorem property taxes in any year shall also be exempt from the education parcel tax in such year.

EXEMPTION FOR CONTIGUOUS PARCELS
For purposes of this special tax, any such "Parcels" which are (i) contiguous, (ii) used solely for owner-occupied, single-family residential purposes, and (iii) held under identical ownership may, by submitting an application of the owners thereof by June 15 of any year to the Board of Trustees of the Mountain View Whisman School District in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the Board, be treated as a single "parcel" for purposes of the levy of this education parcel tax.

EXEMPTION OF SENIORS AND SSI RECIPIENTS
Pursuant to the California Government Code Section 50079 (b), any owners who are either receiving Supplemental Security Income for a disability, regardless of age, or who are 65 years of age or older of a Parcel used solely for owner-occupied, single-family residential purposes may obtain an exemption from the education parcel tax by submitting an application by June 15 of any year to the Board of Trustees of the Mountain View Whisman School District in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the Board.

With respect to all general property tax matters within its jurisdiction, the Santa Clara County 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 education parcel tax, including the Senior Citizen and SSI Exemptions and the classification of property for purposes of calculating the tax, the decisions of a District administrative review panel shall be final and binding.

REDUCTION IN TAX IF RESULT IS LESS OTHER GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
The collection of the education parcel tax is not intended to decrease or offset any increase in local, state or federal government sources that would otherwise be available to the Mountain View Whisman School District during the period of the education parcel tax. In the event that the levy and collection does have such an effect, the Mountain View Whisman School District shall cease the levy or shall reduce the education parcel tax to the extent that such action would restore the amount of the decrease or offset.

ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES
In accordance with the requirements of California Government Code sections 50075.1 and 50075.3, the following accountability measures, among others, shall apply to the education parcel tax levied in accordance with this Measure: (a) the specific purposes of the education parcel tax shall be those purposes identified above; (b) the proceeds of the education parcel tax shall be applied only to those specific purposes identified above; (c) a separate, special account shall be created into which the proceeds of the education parcel tax must be deposited; and (d) an annual written report shall be made to the Board of Trustees of the District showing (i) the amount of funds collected and expended from the proceeds of the education parcel tax and (ii) the status of any projects or programs required or authorized to be funded from the proceeds of the education parcel tax, as identified above.

In addition to the accountability measures required by law, an independent citizen oversight committee shall be reappointed by the Board of Trustees to advise the Board on the expenditures funded by the measure in order to ensure that said funds are spent for the purposes approved by the voters. The oversight committee will monitor the expenditures of these funds by the District and will report on an annual basis to the Board and community on how these funds have been spent.