Community Corner
"A" Does Not Stand For Accountability
Ask yourself if voting “Yes” on Measure A is truly helping to build our schools for the future or simply enabling NUSD’s lack of accountability to continue for eight more years.
The money isn’t spent as promised
The current parcel tax, passed in 2009, was sold as a temporary tax in the face of financial crisis that would keep class sizes small, increase technology in our schools and retain and attract high quality teachers. In 2013, NUSD increased class sizes, noting research that showed there was no negative impact to learning outcomes with larger classes. Why would they ask for our tax dollars if they didn’t believe we needed to keep classrooms small?
NUSD has not paid for computers/IT device in schools, nor have they provided leadership or developed a strategic plan for the use of technology in the classroom. Rather, individual school sites have been left to fundraise for technology and to figure out implementation on their own.
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With almost half of the current parcel tax going to the general fund to pay our teachers, why are they making so much less than teachers in nearby districts, and more importantly, less than teachers in peer districts?
Measure A campaign feels underhanded and claims fall short
The district has put forth a covert, mail-in ballot. The Yes on A campaign is targeting only voters who they believe will support the measure, hoping that others won’t notice there is an election.
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“No Tax Increase” is the campaign’s primary claim. While the annual tax amount is unchanged, Measure A calls for taxes for eight years, whereas the current parcel tax is for six years, so this is, in fact, an increase in total taxes.
Parcel tax language states that Measure A will provide "no money for administrator salaries." The phrase “Robbing Peter to pay Paul” comes to mind. The polling commissioned by the district last fall (which cost over $50,000) reported negative sentiment by likely voters when they were told that the tax would provide future salary increases. I believe that district personnel received an increase of an average of 4% last year, so don’t let this claim lead you to think the district doesn’t plan for more pay increases or to hire additional personnel.
NUSD has not shown fiscal responsibility
With post-Prop 30 revenue secured and an increase in funding from the new “Local Control Funding Formula” from the state, why is the district still in a position of needing to ask taxpayers for additional money for the exact same items as they did in 2009? I see an increase in approximately $7 million in revenue since 2009, with a corresponding increase of $7 million in expenses, yet our schools and teachers don’t seem better off than five years ago.
To afford educational priorities, NUSD must reduce bloated staffing and excessive salaries at the district office and offer programs to attract back the over 1200 Novato students that do not attend NUSD schools today.
The current parcel tax does not expire until mid-2015, so NUSD has more elections to convince voters that a parcel tax is needed. I will vote No on Measure A and hope that this forces NUSD to prepare a prioritized, balanced budget and specific and detailed plan on how increased taxes would truly enrich our classrooms and appropriately compensate our teachers. Unfortunately, until a funding measure fails I don’t believe this important prioritization process will ever happen.