Redwood City School District

Measure H Parcel Tax - 2/3 Approval Required

Vote YES on H to provide local funding for our elementary and middle schools that can't be taken away by the State.

Thanks to our supportive communities and high quality teachers, local student achievement has continued to grow. However, the fact remains our elementary and middle schools are among the lowest funded in San Mateo County and are now facing a $10 million-dollar deficit due to state mandated cost increases.

We know we can't rely on the State of ensure our children have access to the same quality of education as in neighboring communities. Our kids deserve better.

Measure H is essential for our schools. It will provide an additional source of stable local funding to protect our students from additional cuts in the classroom where it matters most and ensures they are ready for high school and their futures.

Voting Yes on Measure H allows our schools to attract and retain our award-winning teachers by providing them with the resources they need to help our students succeed.

Measure H Protects Student Success:

 * Attracts and retains highly qualified teachers

 * Supports reading and writing skills

 * Maintains science, technology, engineering, and math instruction

 * Reduce class sizes in kindergarten and first grade

Every Penny Supports Local Elementary and Middle Schools

 * All funds stay local and cannot be taken by the State

 * No money can be used for administrator salaries

 * Independent citizens' oversight and annual audits ensures funds are spent as promised

 * Senior citizen homeowners continue to be eligible for an exemption

 * Measure H expires in 12 years and cannot be renewed without voter approval

Quality local schools help keep our communities strong and protect local property values

All students deserve access to quality education. Please join parents, teachers, and community leaders in voting Yes on H.

/s/ Jeff Ira, Former Redwood City Mayor

/s/ Sarah LaTorra, Parent at Clifford

/s/ Rita Melton, Teacher

/s/ Amy Buckmaster, President & CEO, Redwood City Chamber of Commerce 

In 2012, voters approved a five year, $67 parcel tax for the Redwood City School District. In 2016, voters approved a 14 years "renewal" of that tax, while coincidentally increasing it to $85. Now, they seek an additional 12 year parcel tax of $149.

No more property tax!

The District closed 4 campuses in response to a drastic decline in enrollment. The economies from those closures should have balanced their budget. But no, the outrageous costs of pensions coupled with $16.7 million in unfunded costs of the mandated Special Education Program produced a deficit which prompted this parcel tax.

Dealing With Pensions and Special Ed

The District and others like it should offer teachers, who have difficulty finding affordable living quarters, increased current income in exchange for concessions in their platinum retirement benefits. And, the mandated Special Education Program should be funded by State and Federal dollars!

Property Taxes Servicing $200,000,000 Bond debt!

Besides the revenue from the proposed parcel tax, the District projected $3,100,000 in general revenue for the 2020/2021 fiscal year from the planned leasing of four closed campuses. These campuses benefitted from bond money secured by property taxes. Bond debt will grow to more than $200,000,000 this year. The District has no intention of using lease revenue to service the bond debt.

Property Taxes would be lowered if lease revenue was used to service bond debt!

Vote No on Measure H

/s/ John J. Hickey, Advocate for Taxpayers

Redwood City School District Measure H says "No parcel tax funds will be spent on administrative salaries." School Site Councils control parcel tax funds. It appears that funds are used for stated purposes.  Fact: Such expenditures relieve the budget. Administrative salaries can be increased.  That's called fungibility.

Proponents say, "our elementary and middle schools are the lowest funded in San Mateo County." When you factor in a projected $200,000,000 of bond debt services by our property taxes, payments to service state matching fund bond debt, state pension contributions for District teachers and staff, state and county expenditures on K-12 education, subsidies from the City of Redwood City, Sequoia Healthcare District, etc., we're looking at about $16,000 per student. With half that amount, and an unshackled private sector, parents could find better alternatives for their children.

Let parents choose!

The district is opposing Adelante campus lease to Stratford School citing negative enrollment impact. San Bruno Park School District leased their Crestmoor campus to Stratford in 2014. Enrollment went up in 2015. In 2018, they sold their El Crystal campus to Stratford. Stratford would be a welcome addition to our community of schools.

Don't perpetuate the education monopoly

The large apartment complexes being built in Redwood City have created a large increase in voters who have no tax consequences if parcel taxes pass. Measure H exploits this inequity. Future elections may only require 55%. 

Every vote counts! Vote NO on Measure H!

/s/ Mark W.A. Hinkle, President, Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association

/s/ Maria Rutenburg, Individual

/s/ John J. Hickey, Advocate for Taxpayers

The lone author of the argument against Measure H routinely opposes local education funding measures regardless of need. This ideologue is not invested in our schools or our students' futures.

As local leaders, we are proud to be a part of a community that believes a high quality education is essential for the success of our children. We make it a priority to know our schools and our community and that is why we are voting Yes on H.

We cannot rely on the State to provide the funding we need to support student achievement. Our elementary and middle schools are among the lowest funded in San Mateo County. We can make a differrence locally. Measure H provides a dedicated source of local revenue for our local schools that the State can't touch.

Citizens' Oversight ensures Measure H supports education, not administrators. Measure H requires audits and an independent Citizens' Oversight Committee just like rpevious measures.  You can read Citizen Oversight Committee reports verifying funds have been spent wisely at www.rcsdk8.net/Page/5563. No funds can be spent on administrative salaries.

Measure H protects core academic programs and helps retain teachers. Measure H will generate $3.4 million annually in locally-controlled funding to retain highly qualified teachers, support core academics, and reduce class sizes in kindergarten and first grade.

We are parents, business owners, and education leaders, and we are taxpayers, too.

The strength of our community reflects the strength of our schools.

Vote Yes on H to keep our schools and community strong.

/s/ Rick Hunter, CPA

/s/ Jennifer Overbey, Teacher at Clifford

/s/ Giselle Hale, Councilwoman

/s/ Ann Hynecek, Founder, Redwood City Parents for Better Education Funding

/s/ Veronica Escamez, Casa Circulo Cultural Founder