This past week, Q-line asked:
The school board recently agreed to place an emergency parcel tax on the ballot. This issue is sure to divide the local electorate. Some are no doubt willing to pay more for education while others feel that taxpayers are overburdened as it is. What’s your opinion of the proposed tax?
Here are your responses:
“The proposed parcel tax for the schools is an abomination. Let them live and function like the rest of us have to do. Tighten your belt and live within your means. In the real world, people are losing their jobs and getting their salaries cut. Trim the fat in school administrators’ and even teachers’ salaries and have them teach by using their skills and what they already have to work with. Look at yesteryear. We all graduated knowing how to read, write and do basic math. Concentrate on that for awhile.”
“We need to send a clear message to the Board of Education that they cannot keep coming to the taxpayers every time there is a shortfall. They need to find ways to cut their own budget and also to raise money. Vote no.”
“When one considers the amount of taxes paid by visitors and residents of Santa Monica on an annual and daily basis such as property, gasoline and everyday sales taxes, to name a few, and the sorry condition of the economy with near zero interest on bank savings, one would think the school district would understand that we are living in a time of belt tightening and adjust the district’s budget and spending accordingly. I firmly state no more taxes.”
“Commercial interests hold sway over the school tax committees. By recommending yet another parcel tax, the large, rich, Santa Monica business elite get off cheap and residents pay again. For example, the one-million-square-foot Water Garden office complex pays only one parcel tax despite scores of addresses on the property. However, each little condo pays the full tax, no matter how many condos on the property. Advocates for the new tax will sob ‘Save our schools,’ yet it is the commercial wallets that are being saved.”
“California and our nation benefit greatly from a well-educated citizenry. If additional tax money is needed to accomplish this, it is our civic duty to make this investment. If we don’t, other states and countries will leave us in the dust.”
“If we double-check to make sure that only kids who really live in town go to our schools, I bet we could close and layoff half the schools and its teachers.”
“I’m opposed to the new, proposed tax. What happened to the money from the previous ones? It’s just going into a bottomless, worthless pit. It is the parent’s responsibility, not the taxpayers, to educate the litters of spawn that they drop.”
“Gosh, we don’t have a huge disconnect with the school board in this town. What did one member say, ‘Education is free.’ But the biggest chunk of the taxpayer dollar is to education. This is an A1 example of the stupidity and arrogance of our elected officials. Every year the school board overspends taxpayer dollars placating different constituencies — free lunches, free childcare, free after-school baby sitting, free college tuition. Who pays for this? The taxpayer. Just like the government printing more money, the school board has a new bond measure every two years and then SMC has a bond measure every other two years. Bugs Bunny had it right, what a bunch of maroons.”
“After voting all these years for school district bond measures, I’ve had it with the school district’s perpetual financial crises. There’s no crisis when it comes to spending unnecessarily. For example, administrative salaries and digs, reconstruction projects, letting students coming in from outside the district, taking away opportunities from our students, special elections like this one. It is long overdue for the residents of Santa Monica to say no to more attempts to drain the community with yet another parcel tax. No, no, no, no, no.”
“The parcel tax is needed because of the state’s budget mess. They have great schools, music programs and API scores that get better each year.”
“For over 30 years the Commies from Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights have despicably ruled over us. Their cronies run every facet of our town and pay them astronomical wages and benefits. In order to get re-elected, they kick, spit on and screw over landlords every election so tenants vote for them. Landlords are hurting and in ruins from excessive taxes, fees, and ridiculous utilities rates. Now the Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights superintendent for schools is holding a sneaky and expensive election to get more bucks from homeowners. Instead of going through the regular election, they are squandering $300,000 to have a special election. When will we get sick of these crooks and send them back to Communist China.”
“How many times can we say no to new tax increases and yet the buffoons keep coming back asking for more. I say let the schools operate within their budget, just like we have to do. So I will say it again, no to any new tax increases.”
“I can’t support the proposed parcel tax. Why should we pass a measure that doesn’t come close to providing enough money for our schools and continues to allow some members of our city to pay little or nothing at all? I mean fair is fair, but this parcel tax is not.”
