Council Endorses School Tax Measure

Council Endorses School Tax Measure

Council Endorses School Tax Measure
By Lookout Staff March 26, 2010 -- The City Council on Tuesday gave its support to Measure A, the $198-per-parcel tax expected to generate $5.7 million for the cash-strapped Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD). The vote was 6-0. Council member Robert Holbrook did not attend the meeting. Council members did not discuss the item. They heard from several advocates for the tax, including school district officials and activists. Council member Gleam Davis said in a press release issued after the meeting, “We are fortunate to have excellent public schools, but state budget cuts will erode years of investment and improvement if we don’t pass Measure A and provide reliable local funding for education.” The SMMUSD is facing a deficit of up to $14 million for the next school year. Its financial hole is mostly due to decreased revenue from Sacramento, the District’s largest financial