Do You Support Renewing BUSD Parcel Tax?

The Measure A parcel tax for Berkeley schools, passed by voters in 2006, supports crucial district programs that would be "decimated" if the funding is not renewed when Measure A expires, according to a new report from the co-superindents of the Berkeley Unified School District.

Revenue from the measure, known as the Berkeley Schools Excellence Program (BSEP), amounts to about $24 million annually, or about 20 percent of the district budget, according to a report prepared for the April 10 school board meeting from Co-Superintendents Javetta Cleveland and Neil Smith.

Measure A expires in 2017, and a replacement measure needs to be on the ballot no later than November 2016, the report says.

"It is time to begin discussions of a timeline for planning for the next BSEP Measure," according to the report, which is attached to this article.

The report offers the following timeline as "Planning Process Calendar":

• Spring, 2014-Spring, 2015: A strategic planning process begins under the leadership of the Superintendent, to bring together the information and recommendations of the small and large groups and individuals who have been researching and deliberating in recent years about the district’s education program priorities. (An outside consultant may be needed to assist the Superintendent in this work.)

• Summer, 2015: Staff organizes and prepares materials for community meetings.

One reason for beginning consideration now is that the board may want or need to change the character of the tax rate, the report says.

"The Board could face several challenges in its consideration of the tax rate for the new Measure, including the possibility that there may no longer be an option for a 'Split Roll Tax' (differential residential and commercial tax rates with a higher commercial rate)," according to the report.

A split-roll tax for Alameda schools was recently declared invalid by the California Court of Appeal. The Alameda school board voted to appeal the decision to the state Supreme Court.

"It may be necessary to allocate resources for the research required to establish a tax rate which the voters will approve," according to the co-superintendents' report.

The report outlined programs supported by Measure A, including class-size reduction, school discretionary funds, library resources, music, visual and performing arts and professional development.

"Without BSEP, many of the educational programs and services listed above would be decimated," the report says.

Measure A imposed a 10-year parcel tax of 22.8 cents per square foot for residential buildings, 34.36 cents per square foot for commercial/industrial/institutional buildings and $50 for unimproved parcels, according to Ballotpedia.

We'd like to know what you think of a new parcel tax to replace Measure A when it expires. You can tell us in the comments.

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