39,781 / 58.9% Yes votes ...... 27,715 / 41.1% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Meaning of Voting Yes/No

A YES vote of this measure means:

A "yes" vote is a vote to authorize a qualified special tax on parcels within the East Side Union High School District.

A NO vote of this measure means:

A "no" vote is a vote not to authorize such a qualified special tax.

The Board of Trustees of the District proposed to levy a special tax on each parcel within the district for six years. An exemption is available for a person 65 years or older who owns and occupies as a principal residence a parcel and applies to the district for an exemption in accordance with guidelines established by the district.

This measure proposes to increase the existing parcel tax by $49.75 per year for each parcel in the district. With annual reporting and citizen oversight, proceeds of the bonds will be used to hire and retain teachers and counselors, to increase student safety, and to train faculty and students to use more modern technology.

The Tax would appear as a separate item on each property tax bill and would be levied and collected at the same time and in the same manner as the general tax levy. Upon recording of the resolution confirming the special tax, such tax would be a lien upon the real property affected thereby.

A "yes" vote is a vote to authorize a qualified apecial tax on parcels within the East Side Union High School District.

A "no" vote is a vote not to authorize such a qualified special tax.

Because this material has been retyped from material filed with the Registrar of Voters there could be errors. For the official information please contact the Registrar of Voters.

Calif. Constitution Section XIIIA, Section 4

Calif. Gov't Code Section 50075 et seq.

Calif. Gov't Code Section 50079 et seq.

Karen Willett (408)347-5050; Fax: (408)347-5055

argument in favor (and rebuttal to argument against): Karen Willett (408)347-5050; Fax: (408)347-5055

argument against (and rebuttal to argument in favor): Mark Hinkle (408)778-2444; Fax: (408)778-1115

San Jose Mercury News - Oct. 26

• Measures article

These cuts come at a time when the East Side Union High School District has had the safest campuses and the lowest dropout rate ever. More students are completing university entrance requirements than before and test scores are improving. However, the District is facing a major crisis in the recruitment and retention of top quality, fully credentialed teachers. The high cost of living in Silicon Valley makes it impossible for new teachers to live in the area. They move to less expensive communities where housing is affordable.

The loss of resources combined with the shortage of teachers comes at a time when the jobs being created in this valley require higher than ever educational skills and abilities. Students are now expected to be technologically literate, to read and analyze complex materials, and to write effectively and to think critically. Students are required to pass the High School Exit Exam and successfully complete difficult courses in math and science.

To meet these challenges, we are asking our citizens to make a tough but critical choice in November. We are asking our community to stand up for excellence and take control of the education of our children. We are asking our community to come together and solve its own problems. We are asking for your support for Measure J.

Measure J will be used only to improve our students' safety and education. It will not be used for administrative salaries. It provides for an exemption for senior citizens. Your vote for Measure J supports our youth and our schools. Yote YES on Measure J.

/s/ Christopher Evans, Teacher/Parent
/s/ Don Dawson, Teacher/Parent
/s/ Mary Ann Andrade, Community Member
/s/ Manuel Becerra, Jr., Police Sergeant/Parent

It is no secret that the State of California is in the middle of a financial crisis. The East Side Union High School District does not understand that many property owners are also in the middle of a financial crisis.

If the East Side Union High School District has the safest campuses ever, why are they asking for more money for our students' safety? The $298 MILLION from March was supposed to cover student safety!

Part of the high cost of living in Silicon Valley is the increasingly high property taxes. If this measure passes we could lose teachers as they move to communities where the property tax is more affordable.

All of the money raised by this new tax can be used to replace existing budget items. This could free up money for other purposes such as administrative salaries.

Send a message to the East Side Union High School District. Tell them it is their job to take control of the education of our children and they need to solve their own problems.

Vote FOR responsible, planned, effective education spending.

You can be FOR students, FOR schools, and AGAINST Measure J.

VOTE NO ON MEASURE J!

For more information please visit our website at http://www.voteNoOnJ.org/

/s/ H. R. Strong, Chair, Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County
/s/ Elizabeth C. Brierly, Candidate, State Board of Equalization, District 1
/s/ George M Swenson, President, Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association
/s/ Mark W. A. Hinkle, Retired Engineering Manager
/s/ Dennis M. Umphress, Libertarian Candidate for Congress, 16th District

The next day--the ballot filing deadline--someone declared the previous night's vote sufficient. The board, without proper legal research, reversed the outcome of that vote! As of the filing date, they still didn't know how many members must vote "aye" to place such taxes on the ballot.

This tax increase has been poorly thought out from start to finish.
Where is the needs assessment?
Why is the board trying to subject us all to higher taxes right after a $298 million bond passed this March?
Why the big rush to get this tax increase before the voters?
The board hasn't even considered whether budget cuts can be made to free up funds for the stated purposes. Families' budgets are being slashed throughout the district's homes-why not on this school board?
No specific plan exists on how to spend this money

All of the money raised by this new tax can be used to inflate teachers' salaries. There's no requirement that any of it go to increasing student safety or the use of modern technology.

There's also no plan to measure how effective this money will be in relieving these problems.

How can the East Side Union High School District board claim they need this money to increase student safety? The $298 MILLION from March was supposed to cover student safety!

Now is the wrong time to heighten financial burdens on already struggling property owners and their tenants.

Vote for responsible, planned, effective education spending.

You can be FOR students, FOR schools, and AGAINST Measure J.

VOTE NO ON MEASURE J!

For more information please visit our website at http://www.VoteNoOnJ.org

/s/ Dennis Umphress, Libertarian Candidate for Congress, 16th District
/s/ H. R. Strong, Chair, Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County
/s/ George Swenson, President, Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association
/s/ Elizabeth C. Brierly, Candidate, State Board of Equalization
/s/ Mark W. A. Hinkle, Community College Trustee candidate

For 51 years, the East Side Union High School District has been one of the best managed and financially sound districts in California. Unfortunately, the state controls the funding for our schools. This year the state is severely cutting its support, which will drastically reduce the educational programs we provide our students.

We agree that the public has the right to demand that schools offer students the best education, in the safest schools and with the most qualified teachers. To do that, we need your YES vote on Measure J.

• By law, Measure J money can only be used to increase the safety of students and staff on campus.
• By law, Measure J money can only be used to train our students and teachers on the use of modern technology.
• By law, Measure J money can only be used to hire and keep top-quality, credentialed teachers to educate our students.

Measure J will benefit students at Andrew Hill, Independence, James Lick, Mt. Pleasant, Oak Grove, Piedmont Hills, Santa Teresa, Silver Creek, Overfelt, Yerba Buena, Evergreen Valley, and Foothill.

Now is the time to take control of our schools, our community. Now is the time to take a stand for excellence in teaching, technology and safety for our students. Vote YES on Measure J!

/s/ Christopher Evans, teacher/parent
/s/ Don S Dawson, teacher/parent

By approval of this proposition by at least two-thirds (2/3) of the registered voters voting on the proposition, the District will be authorized to levy a qualified special tax of $80 per parcel for the specific school facilities projects listed in the Project List described below, subject to all the accountability requirements specified below.

The provisions in this section are specifically included in this proposition in order that the voters and taxpayers in the District may be assured that their money will be spent wisely. As required by the laws of the State of California, the proceeds of the qualified special tax will be deposited into a special account established by the District and will be applied only to the specific purposes identified below. The District has covenanted to have on file with its governing board no later than January 1 of each year a report stating the amount of the funds collected and expended and the status of any project authorized to be funded.

The statement shown below is a part of the ballot proposition and must be reproduced in any official document required to contain the full statement of the proposition.

The proceeds of the parcel tax will be expended to finance the payment of costs and expenses of the District which are designed to achieve the following purposes. The specific purposes of the parcel tax are described as follows:

• Training of faculty and students to use more modern technology
• Increasing student safety
• Retain and attract quality teachers