TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
George Gabriel, Management Analyst
SUBJECT:Title
Request by Mayor Howorth to Discuss Possible Support of the Manhattan Beach Unified School District Parcel Tax Measure.
CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION NO. 18-0038
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
At the request of Mayor Howorth, staff recommends that City Council consider adopting Resolution No. 18-0038 supporting the Manhattan Beach Unified School District (MBUSD) Parcel Tax Measure on the upcoming June 5, 2018 Statewide Direct Primary Election.
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with the recommended action.
BACKGROUND:
At the Manhattan Beach Unified School District (MBUSD) Board meeting on February 28, 2018, the Board of Trustees adopted Resolution No. 2018-8 (Attachment 2), which calls an election, establishes specifications of the election order and requests consolidation with other elections occurring on June 5, 2018.
The resolution adopted by the MBUSD Board of Trustees indicates their intent to enact a parcel tax measure in an effort to continue providing locally-controlled funding to MBUSD.
At the March 6, 2018 City Council meeting, Mayor Howorth requested a discussion be placed on the March 20, 2018 agenda to consider a resolution in support of the MBUSD Parcel Tax Measure.
DISCUSSION:
On September 19, 2017, the MBUSD Board of Trustees held a discussion regarding the impacts of the California education budget on the School District. Shortly thereafter, MBUSD released a factsheet on a potential ballot measure for voter consideration (Attachment 3). The factsheet stated that:
“Manhattan Beach schools rely on the State for virtually all of our operating funds; however, the State has proven to be an unreliable partner, making the District vulnerable to budget cuts. In order to maintain quality education and keep our schools among California’s best, the District is considering placing a local funding measure in the form of a parcel tax on an upcoming ballot.”
After many Board of Trustee meetings, subcommittee meetings, community surveys, and feasibility studies, the Board of Trustees directed District Staff to move forward in preparing to place a parcel measure on the June 5, 2018 ballot.
In adopting Resolution No. 2018-8 on February 28, 2018, the MBUSD Board of Trustees presented the official ballot text for the measure, which states:
“To maintain quality education, keep Manhattan Beach schools among California's best, offset severe state funding shortfalls and provide $2,650,000 annually the state cannot take away, to:
• Attract and retain high-quality teachers
• Maintain manageable class sizes
• Protect quality math, science, reading, art/music programs,
shall Manhattan Beach Unified School District levy $225 per parcel annually, expiring in six years, with senior exemptions, independent oversight/audits, no money for administrators, and all funds staying local?”
Staff has drafted Resolution No. 18-0038 (Attachment 1), if City Council decides to support MBUSD’s Parcel Tax Measure. Upon adoption and if directed, staff will send a letter to the Manhattan Beach Unified School District indicating the City’s position on the ballot measure.
PUBLIC OUTREACH/INTEREST:
After analysis, staff determined that public outreach was not required for this issue.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
Attachments:
1. Resolution No.18-0038
2. MBUSD Resolution No. 2018-8 Calling June 5, 2018 Election
3. MBUSD Funding Measure Factsheet
4. MBUSD February 28, 2018 Staff Report
5. PowerPoint Presented to MBUSD Board of Trustees