News

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Santa Barbara Elementary and High School Districts extend application deadline for parcel tax citizens’ oversight committees

Santa Barbara School Districts seek members for citizens’ oversight committees

With the November 4, 2008, passage of parcel tax Measure H2008 and Measure I2008, benefiting the Santa Barbara Elementary and High School Districts, the districts are seeking community members to serve on the seven-member separate parcel tax citizens’ oversight committees. The task of each committee is to ensure that the parcel tax funds are being used in accordance with the intention of voters.

The elementary district is expected to receive over $500,000 per year for four years. The secondary district is expected to receive more than $1m per year for four years. Parcel tax funds cannot be touched by the state and will be used for projects identified in the voter pamphlet and noted in each measure’s fact sheet, posted on the districts’ web site: www.sbsdk12.org

Each committee will meet with district staff on a regular basis to review the use of parcel tax funds and monitor implementation of the special tax.

In accordance with committee bylaws, the district is looking for committee members to represent the following groups: business, senior citizen, taxpayer organization, parent of an elementary or secondary district student, parent of a district student and member of a their school’s parent-teacher organization, Santa Barbara Education Foundation, or community member at large.

Citizens that are in one of the above noted categories and are interested in serving on a committee that supports the educational needs of the children of the community are encouraged to complete an application. Committee applications are available online or can be provided by Barbara Keyani, Administrative Services and Communications, Santa Barbara School Districts, 720 Santa Barbara Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, (805) 963-4338, ext. 206. Committee bylaws are also posted on the upper right corner of the districts’ web site.

The application deadline has been extended to 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, February 17, 2009. Applications will be reviewed and the board is expected to appoint the committee at its February 24 meeting. Once established, the oversight committee will convene in March, initially on a monthly basis and then likely shift to a quarterly meeting schedule.