News

Friday, January 16, 2009

Applications sought for Santa Barbara School Districts’ two parcel tax citizens’ oversight committees

Senior citizen parcel tax exemption forms now available

Application forms are now online for citizens interested in serving on one of two separate seven-member parcel tax oversight committees. The committees’ structure will follow the format of the statutes that apply to general obligation bond tax oversight committees (Proposition 39 and Education Code sections 15278, 15280, and 15282). The citizens’ oversight committees will be in place to oversee the expenditure of parcel tax revenues authorized by the November 4, 2008 passage of Santa Barbara School Districts’ Measure H2008 and Measure I2008.

The elementary district and secondary district oversight committee application forms must be completed and turned in to the school district by 4:00 pm on Friday, January 23, 2009. Forms are available online or can be picked up at the Santa Barbara School Districts’ Administrative Office, 720 Santa Barbara Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101.

The parcel tax measures support student achievement and high-quality instruction in the following ways:

Measure H2008-Santa Barbara High School District

$23 per year for four years, beginning in the fiscal year starting July 1, 2009 and ending in the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012.

• Supplements math, science, and technology education
• Supplements music, arts and theater programs at the junior high school level
• Supplements foreign language at the secondary level
• Restores ninth-grade math class sizes

Measure I2008-Santa Barbara Elementary School District

$27 per year for four years, beginning in the fiscal year starting July 1, 2009 and ending in the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012.

• Supplements math, science, and technology education
• Offers classroom music programs

Bylaws

A copy of the oversight committee bylaws that will be provided to the board of education for approval are also posted on the web.

Senior exemption

One feature of both Measure H2008 and Measure I2008 is a senior citizen exemption. An exemption from the special tax shall be granted annually by the school district on any parcel owned by any owners 65 years of age or over of a parcel used solely for owner-occupied, single-family residential purposes, upon annual application for exemption. The senior citizen parcel tax exemption application form for tax year 2009-2010 is now posted on the web. Exemption applications must be filed annually by June 15 for the following tax year. Failure to file by June 15 will automatically invalidate the tax exemption for the following tax year.