See Also: Index of all Measures

Meaning of Voting Yes/No

A YES vote of this measure means:

A two-thirds "yes" vote would repeal the existing $40 and $64 special taxes and allow a new special tax up to $365 per year, adjusted annually, and allow the appropriations limits to be raised.

A NO vote of this measure means:

A "no" vote would retain the existing special taxes of $40 and $64, not allow the special tax to be levied and would not allow the appropriations limit to be raised.

In 1993, the voters in the Burlingame Elementary School District approved a special tax in an amount of $64 per year per parcel. In 1997, the voters extended the $64 tax and approved an additional special tax of $40, both of which expire June 30, 2005. By this measure, the District's Board of Trustees propose to repeal the existing special taxes and to levy a new special tax beginning July 1, 2001. This tax shall be at a rate not to exceed $365 per year, adjusted annually by changes in the Consumer Price Index for the Bay Area on all taxable parcels in the District.

A parcel shall be defined as any unit of land in the District which now receives a separate tax bill from the San Mateo County Assessor's Office, except that only one tax will be assessed to owners whose property includes one or more contiguous parcels. Any person 65 years of age or older who owns and occupies a parcel may qualify for an exemption from the special tax. All property which would otherwise be exempt from property taxes will also be exempt from imposition of this special tax.

The purposes of the special tax are to: attract and retain qualified teachers and other employees; fund specialized programs; create programs and the specialists needed to teach the programs; create programs that integrate technology into the core curriculum and maintain fiscal solvency.

The measure mandates the school board to appoint a budget advisory committee made up of community experts in the field of finance who will advise and monitor the expenditures of these funds by the District and report to the community how these funds were spent.

This measure would also increase the District's appropriations limit per fiscal year, in an amount equal to the levy of the special tax for that year, as permitted by Article XIIIB, Section 4 of the California Constitution.

A "yes" vote on this measure would repeal the existing $40 and $64 special taxes and allow a new special tax to be levied on property within the boundaries of the Burlingame Elementary School District in an amount of up to $365 per year per taxable parcels in the District, adjusted annually by changes in the Consumer Price Index for the Bay Area. It would also allow the appropriations (spending) limit to be raised.

A "no" vote on this measure would retain the existing special taxes of $40 and $64, not allow the special tax to be levied and would not allow the appropriations limit to be raised.

This measure passes if two-thirds of those voting on the measure vote "yes."

San Francisco Chronicle

• School Improvements Depend on Voters

Burlingame Elementary School District

for information on school district finances and events

In addition, we are losing our highly qualified teachers to districts who can afford to pay them higher salaries. The cost of living has continued to skyrocket and the funding we receive from the state has not kept pace.

We are fortunate in Burlingame to have state-of-the-art computer labs and networks in our schools. But the state does not provide us with funding to train our teachers on how to integrate technology into the curriculum.

We cannot support excellent teachers and provide outstanding education in Burlingame without the support of parcel tax funds from our community. If we do not pass Measure B, we will immediately be faced with difficult and painful decisions. We will need to:

• Reduce valued programs
• Increase class size
• Close schools

A vote for Measure B is an investment in our children's future and in our community. We urge you to vote yes on Measure B.

/s/ Clara B. Crook
Burlingame Senior Citizen
/s/ Lisa Rosenthal
Burlingame School District Board President
/s/ Joseph Galligan
Burlingame City Mayor
/s/ John S. Root
Burlingame Taxpayer

(No arguments against Measure B were submitted)

a) Attract and retain highly-qualified teachers and other employees
b) Fund specialized programs and the specialists needed to teach the programs
c) Create programs that integrate technology into the core curriculum
d) Maintain fiscal solvency

This Measure will also increase the District's Gann Appropriation Limit by an amount equal to the levy of said tax for said year, as allowed by Article XIIIB, Section 4, of the California State Constitution. This increase is required to assure that the District may use the revenues generated by the tax.

A parcel will be defined as any unit of land in the District which now receives a separate tax bill from the San Mateo County Assessor's Office, except that only one tax will be assessed to owners whose property includes one or more contiguous parcels. All property which would otherwise be exempt from property taxes will also be exempt from the imposition of said special tax. An exemption from the assessment shall be made available to each individual in the District who will attain the age of 65 years prior to July 1 of the assessment year and who owns a beneficial interest in the parcel, or a divided or undivided portion of such parcel, and who uses such parcel as his or her principal place of residence, upon an annual application to the District on or before June 30, 2001 or June 30 of any succeeding assessment year. Such annual exemption will he granted upon presentation of proof of age, ownership and occupancy as principal place of residence in accordance with regulation adopted by the School Board, and shall remain in effect for the entire fiscal year at issue. This measure will repeal the existing $64.00 and $40.00 parcel taxes. A budget advisory committee shall be appointed by the school board, made up of community experts in the field of finance who will advise and monitor the expenditures of these funds by the District and report to the community annually on how the funds were spent.