League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Santa Clara County, CA November 2, 2010 Election
	Measure E parcel tax Foothill-De Anza Community College District parcel tax for Foothill-De-Anza CCD - 2/3 Approval Required Fail: 73,404 / 58.00% Yes votes ...... 53,162 / 42.00% No votes See Also: Index of all Measures

Arguments For Measure E

Arguments Against Measure E

Vote Yes on E so Foothill and De Anza colleges can continue to provide excellent academic courses enabling our students to transfer to four- year universities and to compete for careers in math, engineering, technology and science. Every penny from Measure E will benefit our students. No funds will be taken by the State or used for administrative salaries. An independent oversight committee will ensure funds are used properly. Measure E will automatically expire in six years. Our local community colleges are more important than ever. As UC and CSU increase tuitions and turn away more students, Foothill and De Anza become the only affordable option for many. More than $20 million has been cut from the Foothill and De Anza budget because of State funding reductions. Many courses, as well as hundreds of faculty and staff positions have been eliminated, and administration has been reduced to the bare minimum. Yet demand for community college courses continues to increase dramatically. This year thousands of students couldn't get the classes they needed, and with on-going state cuts, the problem will only get worse. Measure E will provide stable funding the State cannot take away. It will: maintain core classes including math, science and writing pepare students for careers in engineering, math and science help students transfer to four-year universities prepare students for healthcare careers like nursing and paramedics restore classes and labs to meet the demand Foothill and De Anza community colleges rank among the best in the nation. They provide vital high-tech and healthcare professionals who fuel our economy, and to thousands, they offer a stepping-stone to higher education and top universities. Please join our leaders in education, business, technology and healthcare and vote Yes on E. /s/ Bruce P. Swenson President, Foothill-De Anza Community College District Board of Trustees /s/ Susan Graham President, League of Women Voters, Los Altos/Mountain View /s/ Dianne McKenna Former Mayor of Sunnyvale /s/ Hsing Kung Chairman, Luxnet Corporation /s/ Barbara A. Rieder Former Director of Public Health Nursing for Santa Clara County Rebuttal to Arguments For Learn to live within your means appears to be a lesson that is neither taught nor practiced at Foothill-De Anza Community College District. The district needs to adjust priorities by making deeper cuts to non-core classes, administrative and staff cost before asking for an unprecedented community college parcel tax in Santa Clara County. This tax is unfair! It ask residents of the district to subsidize the education of those who attend Foothill-De Anza and do not live and pay taxes in the district. Since there is no senior exception, it places an unfair burden on those with fixed income. You NO vote on Measure E is the only way you have to hold the district board and administration accountable. An independent oversight committee is no substitute for the power of your vote. Vote No on Measure E /s/ Douglas A. McNea President, Silicon Valley Taxpayers' Association /s/ Brian S. Darby Chair, Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County

Measure E is a property tax increase. Vote NO! Last year the State raised income taxes, sales taxes, and car taxes. It was the biggest tax increase in California history. Wasn't that enough for the State's community colleges? Now they want to raise property taxes too? Vote NO! Community colleges can charge students tuition. That's fair, since many students attending college in Foothill-De Anza are not district residents. They come from other parts of California, other states, even other countries. Community colleges already receive a share of our property taxes - about $80 million a year! Besides that, in 2006 local voters approved a $490.8 million bond measure for this district, to be repaid through higher property taxes. District homeowners already bear a significant tax burden for this district. Why should our property taxes be raised even higher to subsidize the education of adults, many of whom don't live here, and don't pay the tax themselves? Now is not the time for more taxes. Thousands of employees are layed off or furloughed. Self-employed business owners have less work, or have closed altogether. Yet their property taxes are still due. Everyone who can't afford this new tax will lose their homes. California is the most overtaxed state in America. Property taxes are high enough! When do we get to keep some money to support our own families? Vote NO on Measure E. For more information visit http://www.SVTaxpayers.org. /s/ Douglas A. McNea President, Silicon Valley Taxpayers' Association /s/ Brian S. Darby Chair, Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County Rebuttal to Arguments Against The two opponents of Measure E have their facts wrong: State funding for Foothill and De Anza colleges has decreased, leading to $20 million in cuts to teachers, course offerings and other programs. Thousands of students cannot get the classes they need. Community college tuition rates are set by the state. Foothill and De Anza cannot adjust tuition to offset budget cuts. The vast majority of Foothill and De Anza students are local students. The relatively small number of students attending from outside the state or country pay much higher tuition, which supports courses and programs for local students. By law, bond funds approved by voters to repair and renovate 50-year-old Foothill and De Anza colleges cannot be used for operating expenses like maintaining instructors, academic courses and job training programs. Local students need Foothill and De Anza more than ever. As UC and CSU increase tuition and turn away more students, our local community colleges are essential for providing math, science , engineering and other knowledge and skills needed for local jobs and to transfer to universities. Every penny from Measure E must stay locally and cannot be taken by the state. The cost is just $69 (less than $6 per month). A citizens' oversight committee will ensure funds are spent properly. Foothill and De Anza fuel our economy by providing the highly skilled workers Silicon Valley needs. Measure E is a smart investment in our workforce. Vote Yes on E. /s/ John L. Hennessy President, Stanford University /s/ Liz Kniss Santa Clara County Supervisor /s/ Rebecca Q. Morgan Former State Senator /s/ Carl Guardino President & CEO, Silicon Valley Leadership Group /s/ Etienne R. Bowie Student Trustee, Foothill - De Anza Community College District

Full Text of Measure E

FOOTHILL-DE ANZA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY AND JOB TRAINING MEASURE E Foothill-De Anza Community College District INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE To protect Foothill College and De Anza College from State budget cuts, provide local funding that cannot be taken away by the State and preserve affordable, quality education for students, Foothill-De Anza Community College District proposes to establish an education parcel tax for a period of six years, beginning July 1, 2011, at the rate of $69 per year, on each assessor's parcel located within the Foothill-De Anza Community College District, and to implement accountability measures in connection with the temporary levy to ensure the funds are used to: (a) maintain core academic classes such as math, science, and writing; (b) prepare students for careers in science, technology, engineering and math; (c) restore funding to increase the number of classes and lab offerings; (d) prepare students to transfer to four-year colleges and universities in a timely manner; (e) improve support services for students with disabilities; (f) keep the libraries open and maintain critical library services and resources; (g) prepare students for careers in computers and emerging technology; (h) maintain job re-training programs; and (i) provide essential student and support services. AMOUNT OF EDUCATION PARCEL TAX; PERIOD OF ASSESSMENT The education parcel tax shall be $69 (or less as provided below) per year for six (6) full years assessed against each parcel. The proceeds of the education parcel tax shall be deposited into a separate account created by the District. DEFINITION OF "PARCEL" For purposes of the special tax, the term "Parcel" means any parcel of land which lies wholly or partially within the boundaries of the Foothill De-Anza Community College District, that receives a separate tax bill for ad valorem property taxes from the Santa Clara County Assessor/Tax Collector's office. All property that is otherwise exempt from or upon which are levied no ad valorem property taxes in any year shall also be exempt from the education parcel tax in such year. For purposes of this special tax, any such "Parcels" which are (i) contiguous, (ii) used solely for owner-occupied, single-family residential purposes, and (iii) held under identical ownership may, by the owner submitting evidence of such facts by June 15 of any year to the Board of Trustees of the Foothill De Anza Community College District, be treated as a single "parcel" for purposes of the levy of this education parcel tax. REDUCTION IN TAX IF RESULT IS LESS OTHER GOVERNMENT SUPPORT The collection of the education parcel tax is not intended to decrease or offset any increase in local, state or federal government sources that would otherwise be available to the Foothill De-Anza Community College District during the period of the education parcel tax. In the event that the levy and collection does have such an effect, the Foothill De-Anza Community College District shall cease the levy or shall reduce the education parcel tax to the extent that such action would restore the amount of the decrease or offset in other revenues. EXEMPTIONS FROM THE TAX Current applicable California law does not provide any exemptions from the payment of the educational parcel tax, including exemptions for owners of parcels who are either 65 years of age or older or receive Supplemental Social Security income for a disability, regardless of age. However, in the event applicable law changes during the term of this educational parcel tax, the District intends to grant both seniors and disabled persons receiving SSI an exemption, to the extent legally permissible. ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES In accordance with the requirements of California Government Code Sections 50075.1 and 50075.3, the following accountability measures, among others, shall apply to the education parcel tax levied in accordance with this Measure: (a) the specific purposes of the education parcel tax shall be those purposes identified above; (b) the proceeds of the education parcel tax shall be applied only to those specific purposes identified above; (c) a separate, special account shall be created into which the proceeds of the education parcel tax must be deposited; and (d) an annual written report shall be made to the Board of Trustees of the District showing (i) the amount of funds collected and expended from the proceeds of the education parcel tax and (ii) the status of any projects or programs required or authorized to be funded from the proceeds of the education parcel tax, as identified above. Under no circumstances shall any of the proceeds of the educational special parcel tax be used for administrators' salaries or benefits. Parcel tax proceeds shall only be spent for De Anza College, Foothill College, Foothill Educational Center (Middlefield) and central services. CITIZEN OVERSIGHT In addition to the accountability measures required by State law, an Oversight Committee shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees to monitor the expenditures of these funds by the District and will report on an annual basis to the Board and community on how these funds have been spent.