By Jonathan Friedman
Lookout Staff

July 16, 2010 -- There will be no parcel tax election for the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) in November, after the board on Wednesday voted against that option as a potential District revenue booster.

Instead, following the recommendation of a tax feasibility committee, the board got behind the City sales tax proposal, which could have an education funding component.

The City Council on Tuesday voted to place a half-cent sales tax measure on the ballot. Also appearing on the ballot will be a non-binding question asking voters whether they support designating half the estimated $13 million in annual revenue to the SMMUSD.

Neil Carrey, head of the District’s parcel tax feasibility committee, told the board that although the council would not be obligated to give the money to the District, for various reasons he and other education activists believe it will go there if the voters ask for this.

“There’s an enormous comfort level that if this passes and the advisory opinion passes, members of the City Council now and in the future will follow that opinion, and that will mean more money for the school district,” Carrey said.

Carrey said he feels this comfort because of “concerns expressed by the council members” at the Tuesday meeting regarding the state of the financially struggling SMMUSD.

Also, Carrey said City Manager Rod Gould is “known as someone who really is concerned about education” and has a reputation from his previous municipal management positions for supporting school districts.

Carrey added, “The City Council recognizes that without the support of the school community, it could have a problem getting the measure passed.”

All the board members agreed with the committee’s recommendation. Board member Ralph Mechur said he liked that this is a local solution for solving the State problem of reduced education funding.

“The advice that most folks who look at public policy, particularly in California, at least for the interim, is to look for local solutions to State problems,” Mechur said.

District officials and activists were also encouraged that this measure will only require support from a simple majority for passage. A parcel tax needs two-thirds support.

Measure A, the parcel tax proposal that was defeated in May, fell short of two-thirds support, but would have won in a landslide if it were a simple majority election. City polls taken last month showed support for a sales tax was as high as 64 percent.

“There’s an enormous comfort level that if this passes and the advisory opinion passes, members of the City Council now and in the future will follow that opinion, and that will mean more money for the school district,”
     Neil Carrey

“The advice that most folks who look at public policy, particularly in California, at least for the interim, is to look for local solutions to State problems,”
     Ralph Mechur