Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce Regarding School Funding

WHEREAS, the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce and its members have actively supported the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District, individual schools and their teachers, administrators, parents and students in a variety of ways over many years, including providing endorsements, funding and volunteers for several parcel tax measures, most recently Measure S in 2003, honoring new teachers and administrators at the annual education celebration conducted by the Chamber's Education Committee, and providing assistance directly to individual schools; and

WHEREAS, the Chamber and its members have provided, and will continue to provide, this support because of their strong belief that education plays a vital role in the quality of life and the future of Santa Monica and, along with public safety, constitutes one of the top priorities of Santa Monica residents and businesses; and

WHEREAS, the District, along with other schools in California, has suffered from a decline in funding from the State of California in recent years and is threatened with even more reductions which could lead to critical impacts on the District's ability to fulfill its important mission of educating Santa Monica's youth; and

WHEREAS, the City of Santa Monica has established a pattern over the last several years of providing at least $3,000,000 in funding directly to the District and, at least in the last fiscal year, additional funding in the amount of $2,250,000, but has not entered into any type of contractual or other arrangement which would guarantee a continuation of funding on a multi-year basis which would permit the District to establish its budget based upon the assurance of receiving these funds;

WHEREAS, the City has entered into collective bargaining agreements with the police and firefighters unions which guaranty generous salaries and benefits and has funded a new, state of the art public safety building costing many millions of dollars, all of which enable the City to attract and maintain extremely well-qualified public safety personnel; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Chamber strongly believes that it is equally critical for the City to establish a funding mechanism for the District which will augment the declining funding levels from the State so that the District will be able to attract and maintain outstanding teachers and administrators and properly maintain school facilities; and

WHEREAS, the Committee for Excellent Public Schools ("CEPS"), a grass-roots organization consisting of local residents and business leaders, has attempted, without success, for over five years to work with the City to establish such a reliable funding arrangement; and

WHEREAS, CEPS has drafted an initiative measure entitled The Excellent Public Schools Charter Amendment (the "Initiative") which, if enacted by the voters, would amend the City's Charter to require the City to provide funds to the District annually from the City's General Fund in an amount equal to the greater of $6,000,000 or 4% of the City's General Fund, such percentage to increase up to a maximum of 8% of the General Fund only if the General Fund increases by specified amounts; and

WHEREAS, at this time, there is no alternative to the Initiative for providing reliable and stable funding from the City to the District despite the need for such an arrangement; and

WHEREAS, in our form of government, the ultimate power resides with the people who, when they deem it necessary, have the right to instruct their elected and appointed officials regarding spending priorities;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the Chamber does hereby endorse the qualification and passage of the Initiative;

RESOLVED FURTHER, that this endorsement be in effect unless and until withdrawn by this Board of Directors due to the existence of an alternative funding arrangement between the City and the District which this Board determines to be preferable to the Initiative; and

RESOVED FURTHER, that the Chair of the Chamber is authorized and directed to distribute a copy of this Resolution to all local media; and

RESOLVED FURTHER, that the President of the Chamber is directed to keep the Chamber's Executive Committee and Board of Directors advised of any efforts by the City and the District to structure an alternative funding arrangement.

This resolution is adopted as of Tuesday, February 24, 2004 by the Board of Directors of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce.

Dr. Michael E. Gruning
Chairman of the Board

Kathryn B. Dodson
President/CEO