TAX NEWS - 2010

Schools need tax money

I urge all trustees of the Vacaville Unified School District Governing Board to read a recent front-page Reporter article ("Cities vote to pay more to aid schools," June 27). I also urge the board to place a parcel tax for schools on the November ballot.

The school district needs money. State funding is not reliable.

Getting funding from voluntary contributions are commendable, but the only reliable funding is taxation. The school staff, with assistance from a competent consultant, can determine the right dollar amount for the parcel tax.

If it is on the ballot and the electorate passes it with a two-thirds majority, that's fine. And if the measure is rejected, the people will have spoken.

I am a senior on Social Security and I have no children or grandchildren in the district as students, teachers or administrators. I will vote yes for a parcel tax for the schools; just show me the dollar amount.

In the old days, the board could actually levy a tax, but Proposition 13 in 1978 changed that.

Now we must have a two-thirds majority vote by the electorate. If this board cannot put this on the ballot this coming November, then we need a new board.