Update November 8, 2006
Proposition 88 was rejected by 77.0% of voters.
Proposition 88 in Plain English
This proposition proposes a $50 per parcel property tax that would go to K-12 public school funding. It is estimated to bring in $450 million per year.
Official Title and Summary
Education Funding. Real Property Parcel Tax. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute.
- Provides additional public school funding for kindergarten through grade 12.
- Funded by $50 tax on each real property parcel.
- Exempts certain elderly and disabled homeowners.
- Funds must be used for class size reduction, textbooks, school safety, Academic Success facility grants, and data system to evaluate educational program effectiveness.
- Provides for reimbursement to General Fund to offset anticipated decrease in income tax revenues due to increased deductions attributable to new parcel tax.
- Requires school district audits, penalties for fund misuse.
- Revenue excluded from minimum education funding (Proposition 98) calculations.
Summary of Legislative Analyst’s Estimate of Net State and Local Government Fiscal Impact:
- State parcel tax revenue of roughly $450 million annually, allocated to school districts for specified education programs.
Analysis
- Official Legislative Analysis, California Legislative Analyst’s Office (PDF)
- In Depth Nonpartisan Analysis, League of Women Voters Ca.
Articles
- No on Proposition 88. California shouldn’t raise parcel taxes for drop-in-the-bucket education funding. Los Angeles Times
- Prop. 88: Storming the Prop. 13 battlements, Prop. 88’s statewide parcel tax would begin to chip away at state’s property-tax protections. Orange County Register
- Editorial: No on Proposition 88. Schools proposal is too small, mistimed. Sacramento Bee
- Vote yes on Prop. 88 to help our schools now, not later. San Jose Mercury News
November 5th, 2006 at 12:07 am
So once again the mismanagement of the school boards should be rewarded with more money, and again out of the pockets of property owners. Talk about an unfair tax- it doesn’t matter if you own a cardboard box on a 6 X 6 piece of land or a mansion on 500 acres, the price is the same 50 dollars. And the erosion of Prop 13 continues. And when will the “education” cry babies stop hiding behind the children in requesting more funds to squander away on God knows what? 3 times in the past 6 years, the LAUSD has ask for and gotten bond issues pushed through for the same crys of improving the schools, air conditioning, smaller classrooms, and even with the ridiculous amount of money brought in, require the students to sell subscriptions, candy and God knows what else to “buy needed books and supplies”. Is there any reason to expect it is any different on a statewide issue. I think not. I think a better idea is to make any and all of those that are in administrative positions either be able to justify past expenditures, or go to prison for the fraud they have commit ed and want to continue. At least then, I’d feel my tax dollar was well spent in the incarceration of these frauds and charlatans. No more money, taxes nor bonds. Just say NO!