Parcel Tax Measure Ekes Out Victory for School District

By a narrow margin, Redwood City voters passed by the necessary two-thirds vote with 69 percent. The tax will raise/would have raised $1.7 million for the over the next five years.

Proponents of Measure W argued that this additional source of revenue was needed to provide a more level playing field amongst all the students that eventually attend the high school district. The Redwood City School District is the only district that feeds into the that does not have a supplemental parcel tax. The Redwood City School District received $4,972 pupil in 2011-2012 while the Woodside Elementary District received $18,894 in 2009-2010, the latest data available. 

“It won’t solve every problem but it will go a super long way to help out our kids,” said Redwood City School District board trustee Shelly Masur.

Opponents a tax was not a panacea to the district’s problems and more money does not directly equate to better teachers and student success. They were also concerned there won’t be enough transparency regarding how the money is spent.

The money will be spent on protecting academic programs in the math, sciences and humanities, attract and retain qualified teachers and support school libraries. Proponents emphasized that all the funds would stay local without being funneled to the state then distributed back to the district. None of the money will go to administrators’ salaries and annual audits will track funds.

Over the last nine years, many of the same volunteers have tried to pass a parcel tax three times, though unsuccessfully, with the last parcel tax barely failing at 64 percent.

Over the past five years, the state has made cuts totaling $13 million. As a result, the district has had to cut 120 teaching and staff positions, reduce salaries and cut administration.

Committee members have decried California’s inequitable funding system, which benefits districts in areas with higher property values.

Redwood City is a revenue limit district, meaning it relies on state funds in addition to property taxes. The other elementary districts that feed into the Sequoia Union High School District are all basic aid districts, which generate enough revenue from property taxes, and then some, to meet the state’s designated per pupil amount. Over these students’ K-8 careers, each student in neighboring districts will have approximately $90,000 more spent on them before they meet up in high school.

“As the lowest funded district, it is absolutely critical that we do everything we can to prepare them for high school and beyond and in life,” Masur said.

“It’s not to begrudge the other students, but the kids in Redwood City deserve the same thing.”

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