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sr-032310-13b13-B March 23, 2010 Council Meeting: Santa Monica, California CITY CLERK'S OFFICE -MEMORANDUM To: City Council From: Councilmember Davis Date: March 23, 2010 13-8: Request of Councilmember Davis that the Council adopt a resolution endorsing Measure A, the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District's Quality Schools Preservation Act. Measure A is a temporary funding measure that will provide critical local funding to our outstanding local schools. Measure A wilt be put before the voters in a mail-only election with ballots due May 25, 2010. Measure A, which will provide funds that cannot be taken away from our local schools by the State of California, is necessary to offset some of the budget reductions imposed on the School District by the State. The measure includes an optional exemption for senior homeowners age 65 and over. 13-B 1 March 23, 2010 SAMPLE RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District's Quality Public Schools Preservation Act NNNINIININIINNINIIIIINININININOININNNININNINI}NIN SANTA MONICA AND MALIBU SPECIAL MAIL-IN BALLOT ELECTION, MAY 25, 2010 WHEREAS, the Santa Monica City Council encourages measuresto support high quality educational programs for children in the community; and WHEREAS,. Santa Monica and Malibu students receive an exceptional education in our local public schools that prepares them for the 21st Century and provides the skills needed for college and today's careers; and WHEREAS, quality public schools provide benefits and advantages to all residents of our community by helping maintain property values, keeping students in school, and helping keep our community a safe and desirable place to live; and WHEREAS, over 70% of local school funding comes from the State of California and the State's budget crisis has already reduced education funding by an average of $10 million each year over the last two fiscal years from funds owed to Santa Monica and Malibu schools with additional education funding shortfalls from the State expected next year and for at least five years; and WHEREAS,. the District projects that without additional sources of revenue, it will be forced to lay off up to 75 of 580 District teachers, increase class sizes by up to 30%, reduce the number of school instructional days, cut counselors and librarians, close school libraries, reduce programs in reading, writing, science, art and music; and WHEREAS, the District has and will continue to engage in a variety of efforts to generate additional funds for its educational program, including advocating in the State Legislature, the creative use of surplus District real estate, local fundraising efforts and continuing funding agreements with the cities of Santa Monica and Malibu; and WHEREAS, despite other efforts to generate additional funds, a local funding measure for SMMUSD schools is the only new revenue source that has the potential to provide immediate budget relief on a scale that would prevent serious harm to local public education; and WHEREAS, these new revenues are critically necessary to help protect the high quality of our local schools and the strong academics that have resulted in rising test scores; and WHEREAS, the Santa Monica-Malibu Board of Education ("Board") has voted to place a local funding measure, equaling $198 per parcel per year, with a senior cit¢en exemption, on a special May 25, 2010 all-mail election in order to offset a portion of the State funding loss and provide a minimum amount of stable financial support over the next five years, enabling the District to prevent a serious decline in the quality of our schools; and WHEREAS, despite the fact that this local funding measure will not alleviate the need to make some budget cuts for 2010- 2011,these revenues are criticaly necessary to protect our community's excellent schools, prevent widespread layoffs of teachers and other personnel, maintain reasonable class size, protect academic achievement in math, science, technology, arts, music, and reading programs, and sustain school libraries; and WHEREAS, the measure requires an independent annual audit and review by an independent citizens' oversight committee with annual public reports to ensure all funds are spent as promised; and WHEREAS, by law, none of these local revenues can betaken away by the State, none of these funds can be spent on administrator salaries, and every dollar must be spent to support our local Santa Monica and Malibu schools. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that: the Santa Monica City Council supports the SMMUSD Local School Funding Measure. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Santa Monica City Council on 2010. (organization name) 2010 Authorizing Signature: (date signed) Reference Resolution No. 10463 (CCS).