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<br /> ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT OF OR IN OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED LAWS ARE THE OPINIONS OF THE AUTHORS
<br /> REDWOOD CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
<br /> ARGUMENT AGAINST MEASURE V REBUTTALTO ARGUMENT AGAINST MEASURE V
<br /> "Bw This Magazine or We Kill This Dog'_ Measure V will provide the funds needed to save the teachers and quality
<br /> educational programs our children need and deserve. State funding for
<br /> When Harvard Lampoon put that headline on its cover,it was a good-nanued education continues to decrease annually.
<br /> joke. Similar threats by school o�cials,however,are just bad taste—and
<br /> deceitful besides. Please join us and vote YES on Measurc V.
<br /> There is no chance whatsoever that district officials would actually fire the Because of State fiscal problems,the district has cut its budget in each of
<br /> best teachers, adopt an inferior math curriculum, or throw special needs the last five years.Next year's cuts will total$3.5 million.Teachers will be
<br /> students out on the street if you didn't vote for this pazcel tax. eliminated, class sizes will be increased, school library hours will be
<br /> Our schools are extremelv well funded
<br /> reduced, music programs eliminated, and math, science, and reading
<br /> programs cut. '
<br /> The Redwood Ciry School District receives approximately $180,000 per We are asking Redwood Ciry School District residents to approve an annual
<br /> classroom of 23 smdents per year,funded primarily by steadi]y increasing $g5 per residential pazcel tax that will expire in 5 years. Senior citizens can
<br /> property tax receipts. apply for an exemption.Commercial property will pay more, based on a
<br /> That's enough to pay teachers very good wages(averaging roughly$60,000 sliding scale. Churches,hospitals and non-profits are exempt.
<br /> in salary and benefits for a 10-month year),with plenty left over(roughly BY�aw,Measure V funds will only pay for:
<br /> $120,000 pe� classroom) for overhead, building maintenance, and other
<br /> goodies. • Hiring and retaining quality teachers.
<br /> We don't lie. Check the data yourself at • Keeping class sizes small.
<br /> http://www.ed-data.kl2.ca.us/dev/District.asp • Funding music programs.
<br /> • Maintaining school library hours.
<br /> The District's shifting allocations of revenue demonstrate spending • Keeping math,science,and reading programs.
<br /> preferences—not a shortage of money! Drive by our schools, and you'll Measure V is the only school pazcel tax in San Mateo County history that
<br /> see by the luxuriant lawns and expensive curved rooflines,that the board's mandates specific funding categories and voluntarily requires a Citiuns
<br /> priorities aze those of a country club—not a struggling school system. Oversight Committee be formed to guazantee funds are spent appropriately.
<br /> We al,•eadv rejected this tax Libertarian Party members signed the argument against Measure V. Their
<br /> The District tried before, in 1993, making similar claims of impending arguments are grossly inaccurate and purposely misleading.
<br /> spendin�cuts. That parcel tax measure failed by a wide mazgin. ,�;�
<br /> Please join our broad-based communiry coalition of homeowners,seniors, ��-'�
<br /> but revenue more than doubled without it� business owners,parents,and community leaders and vote Yes on Measure �
<br /> Subsequently, revenue grew from $33 million to $68 million (a 71% V for our community's children.
<br /> increase,adjusted for inflation).
<br /> While the number of students attending District schools fell by 5%, the /s/ Jeff Ira February 16,2005
<br /> number of teachers was increased by 37%. Redwood City Mayor
<br /> Put another way, spending could be reduced 30%, and the Dis[rict would /s/ Georgi LaBerge February 17,2005
<br /> still ha�e a budget larger than a decade eazlier,even without a pazcel tax! Redwood City Library Foundation Past President
<br /> Unnecessarv. /s/ Brenton Britschgi February 17,2005
<br /> Please vote against this greedy money grab! Former Redwood City Mayor
<br /> /s/ Janet Borgens February 17,2005
<br /> Past Redwood City"Citizen of the Year"
<br /> /s/ John J."Jack"Hickey February 11,2005
<br /> Chair,Libertarian Party of San Mateo County /s/ Dennis Logie February 20,2005
<br /> Lifelong Redwood City Resident
<br /> /s/ Jo Lene Hickey February 11,2005
<br /> Great Grandmother
<br /> /s/ Nlargret Schmidt February I I,2005
<br /> Redwood Citv Pazent
<br /> /s/ Christopher VA Schmidt February 11,2005
<br /> Retired Computer Professional
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