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Q.
Why do Palo Alto public
schools need Measure A now?
A.
The parcel tax now in place, which provides $5.5 million in
critical funding for Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) schools, expires
next year. In addition, PAUSD has lost $4.4 million in annual state funding over
the last three years, while enrollment growth has added $3 million in annual
costs during the same period. To balance its budget, PAUSD has been forced to
make program cuts of $6.5 million and tap $3.4 million in limited emergency
reserves.
Q. How have these
previous cuts affected the quality of our schools?
A. Among other things, these cuts
have reduced course offerings in the middle and high schools – from
Shakespeare to AP Physics; reduced elementary reading, art and math
programs; reduced library hours; and reduced
funding for instructional materials, athletics, technology support, school
maintenance, etc.
Q.
How would PAUSD be affected if a
parcel tax is not passed?
A.
Without this revenue, PAUSD would have to cut $5.5 million in expenditures
for the 2006-ʼ07 school year – on top of the $6.5 million previously cut.
Given the scale of reductions already made, it would not be possible to
balance the budget without serious cuts at the classroom level. Restoring
previously cut programs would not be possible. |
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Q.
What would our schools
lose if a parcel tax is not passed?
A.
To eliminate $5.5 million more in funding
from our schools, PAUSD would be forced to consider closing an elementary
school and laying off as many as 107 teachers (16% of the teaching force).
Teacher layoffs of this scale would increase class sizes in kindergarten
through 10th grade by as much as 18-40% and eliminate one elective class
each semester for all middle and high school students. |
Q.
The economy is
improving. Why not wait to see if property tax revenues grow enough by next
year?
A.
Property tax revenue
growth is unpredictable but rarely dramatic. To replace $4.4 million in
state funding; $5.5 million in existing parcel tax revenue; and fund next
year's estimated $1.2 million cost of enrollment growth; property tax
revenue would need to grow 15% over this year's projected sum. There is
almost no chance of such a surge, as 2004-'05 growth is expected to be 5-6%
and 2003-'04 growth was about 1%. |
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Q.
What if property tax
revenue exceeds PAUSD projections next year?
A.
PAUSD won't receive complete
property tax revenue data for 2005- '06 until July 2006 – after the end
of the fiscal year. If revenue exceeds projections, PAUSD would focus on
securing existing programs (based on projected financials), and then
consider restoring more of the programs cut in recent years (about 37% would
be restored by Measure A).
Q.
Aren't there other ways
to restore funding to PAUSD schools?
A.
Under Proposition 13 the only
action a school district can take to increase operating revenue is to ask
voters to approve a parcel tax. Measure A is the only certain way PAUSD can
avoid further cuts and restore some of what our schools have lost.
Q. What has changed in
state funding for PAUSD schools?
A.
Because of recent shortfalls in the California budget, state funding for our
school district has been cut sharply. Since 2000-'01, PAUSD has lost $4.4
million in annual state financing - a 27% reduction.
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Q.
Does the PAUSD expect
state's financial crisis to
further erode funding for our schools?
A.
Unfortunately, yes. The Governor's
proposed budget shifts certain pension costs to local school districts,
which would add up to $1 million to PAUSD's expenses next year. |
Q.
Since homes are so
expensive in Palo Alto, don't property tax revenues make up for state cuts?
A.
Unfortunately, no. Despite the rise in
Palo Alto home values, last year's property tax revenue growth was the
lowest since 1993. This is because 36% of PAUSD's property tax revenue comes
from commercial property, where values have dropped sharply due to low
growth, high vacancies, reduced rents and property reassessments. Also,
state law limits property tax increases even when home values rise. |
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Q.
What are PAUSD's enrollment growth
trends and projections?
A.
In the past three years,
PAUSD has grown by 594 students – a 6% rise. While future growth is
unpredictable, five-year forecasts estimate additional growth of 942
students – a 9% increase over this year. |
Q.
If PAUSD enrollment
grows by 942 students, how would it impact our school district's budget?
A.
PAUSD would need to hire 47 more teachers, which would cost over $4.1
million in today's dollars. This does not include the cost of 40 more
classrooms, supplies and support staff. PAUSD estimates that the 594-pupil
growth over the last three years adds approximately $3 million in ongoing
annual costs. |
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Q.
Doesn't PAUSD receive
additional funding to cover such expenses when enrollment grows?
A.
No. Unlike most school
districts in California, PAUSD does not receive additional funding to meet
expenses when enrollment grows.
Q.
Can our school district
control increases in costs?
A. Inflation
affects almost everything the district purchases but PAUSD makes painstaking
efforts to control costs. For example, PAUSD has held the increase in the
cost of health care benefits to about 6% per year since 2002 – far below the
US average of 12%. |
Q.
What has PAUSD done to reduce
costs beyond the classroom?
A. Over the
last two years, PAUSD has cut administrators by 13%, reducing these
positions to 4.9% of PAUSD staff. The district has examined all facets of
its operation to implement efficiencies, such as combining or eliminating
positions, managing the use of utilities at all sites, and cutting
expenditures for overtime and substitute teachers. |
Q.
What about students who don't live
in our school district?
A. Only about
130 out-of-district students attend our schools at PAUSD's discretion;
almost all are children of District employees. This serves as a very
effective teacher retention program for PAUSD. Approximately 560 additional
students transfer to our schools under a 1986 court order that requires
PAUSD to accept a set number of students from East Palo Alto and portions of
Menlo Park. PAUSD receives partial funding from the state for these 560
students. |
Q.
How do PAUSD teacher
salaries compare to other districts?
A.
To attract and
retain highly qualified teachers, PAUSD pays salaries in line with other
districts in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. A PAUSD starting teacher
earns $44,268, while peers earn $42,956 in Menlo Park Elementary District;
$46,704 in Los Gatos-Saratoga High School District, and $49,518 in Mt.
View-Los Altos High School District.
Q.
How good is PAUSD's track record
for budget management?
A.
PAUSD has a stellar record for balanced budgets. For the past 7 years, PAUSD
has received the Meritorious Budget Award from the Association of School
Business Officials International. In the last
two
years,
PAUSD was one of only three districts so recognized in California.
Q. What is a parcel
tax?
A.
It is a flat assessment on each parcel of land. A parcel tax requires
two-thirds approval in California. |
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Q.
Didn't Palo Alto already approve a parcel tax for schools in 2001?
A.
Yes. A five-year parcel tax was approved in 2001 by 75% of Palo Alto voters.
It expires next year.
Q. Would Measure A
replace the existing parcel tax?
A.
Yes, Measure A would
replace the existing parcel tax. |
Q.
What would Measure A cost?
A.
Property owners would pay $493 per year for six years – about $1.35 per day. |
Q.
How much revenue would Measure A
raise for PAUSD?
A.
It would raise $9.3
million annually for six years and provide about 8% of PAUSD's total
projected revenue for the 2005-'06 school year. |
Q.
How would PAUSD use the
$9.3 million in Measure A funds?
A.
About 43% of the funds
would be used to maintain current class sizes. Another 31% would help PAUSD
prevent teacher layoffs. The remaining 26% would restore about one-third of
the programs cut since 2003, including some elementary reading, art and math
programs, middle and high school course offerings, librarian hours,
counseling services and instructional materials. |
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Q.
How soon would Measure A
revenue help our schools?
A.
Immediately. All of our schools would begin to see the benefits in the
2005-'06 school year.
Q. Will Measure A
funds be used to pay for additional central administration or salary
increases?
A.
No.
Q. Can the state
seize Measure A funds if they face a budget crisis?
A.
No. By law,
all parcel tax funds stay local to benefit PAUSD schools. |
Q.
How will Measure A benefit
residents who don't have children in PAUSD schools?
A.
Quality schools mean a quality community. Also, most realtors agree that
quality schools are the key driver for the “Palo Alto premium” in home
values. When the Measure A cost is compared with historical growth in home
values, supporting our schools makes good investment sense. |
Q.
Why is a parcel tax a flat fee
per parcel instead of a fee proportional to assessed property value?
A.
Under state law, public
schools may not levy taxes for operating revenue based on property value. |
Q.
What is the oversight
process for Measure A funds?
A.
Measure A funds must be spent as defined on the ballot. All expenditures
would be audited annually and overseen by an independent citizen's committee
providing annual reports.
Q.
Can seniors request an
exemption to the parcel tax?
A.
Yes. Senior citizens are entitled to an exemption upon request.
Click Here to
Download
and print the Senior Exemption Form (an Acrobat PDF file)
Q.
When will Measure A be
on the ballot for our schools?
A.
Tuesday, June 7, 2005.
Q.
How can I learn more about
local school financing and Measure A?
A.
For more information, visit
www.campaignforexcellence.org or e-mail
info@campaignforexcellence.org
and read the
Campaign Position Papers for more details
about PAUSD funding and the need for this parcel tax. |
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Contact
info@campaignforexcellence.org
with questions or for more information.
Campaign for Excellence
320 Kellogg Avenue, Palo
Alto, CA 94301
FPPC ID Number:
1274982
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