School board places parcel tax on November ballot

The Sonoma Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees voted unanimously at its meeting Tuesday evening to have the question placed before the voters on November 6: “Whether a $91 parcel tax shall be levied for the purpose of raising additional revenue for our public schools?”
This ballot measure is known as the “Sonoma Valley Unified School District Educational Improvement and Accountability Act” and would provide a consistent and reliable revenue source for six years to be used strictly within the schools. No revenue would be spent on administrative salaries or would be sent to the state.
With declining revenues from the state, due to the district’s declining enrollment, cuts in recent years have included all middle school and high school sports, and all staff stipends for extracurricular art and music programs. Libraries have been on reduced schedules, and class sizes have been increased.
“The tax will yield $1.2 to $1.4 million from 15,983 parcels – making it possible to recruit and retain quality teachers within the district,” said superintendent Barbara Young, “as well as cover the thousands of dollars that are privately contributed for sports, art, and music.”
The board contends that quality teachers leave the district each year due to elevated living costs.
“The district is the second-largest employer in our area,” trustee Helen Marsh said.
An 11-member “oversight committee,” that will make sure the money is spent correctly, is required by the act, with the additional requirement of an independent annual audit that would be made available to the public at every school and public library within the district.
If passed, the tax will begin in January of 2008.
Homeowners within Sonoma Valley over the age of 65 may apply for an exemption.