In an effort to "leave no stone unturned," another option for the budget process is to continually look at the revenue enhancement side. Beyond "cutting" budgets, how can we add more dollars to the budget? One option is to take the possibility of a Parcel Tax Assessment to our community.
Parcel Tax Assessments are not based on property value, but is a flat rate (e.g., $25 per parcel). Additionally, there are ways to exclude particular properties (e.g., senior citizen's homes) -- if desired. This assessment is based on a community vote that would require a 2/3 pass rate. Often the funds are targeted to a particular program that the community values. It is one way, a community can assist themselves, if that is a desire. A number of progressive communities across California have done exactly that. As an example, a $25 parcel tax assessment per year, could yield $1.6 million in additional revenue. Obviously, that revenue can be raised or lowered based on the size of the parcel tax.
Dr.Miller,
ReplyDeleteI read about this the other day and think this is a wonderful way to raise revenue! I'd vote "YES"!!
How and when can we get it on the ballot and what can we do to help encourage people to get out there and vote?
ReplyDeleteI would not vote for this. Because I chose to live in the Orangecrest area, I already pay $1800 a year in taxes that go to RUSD. I would NEVER vote to pay for a tax INCREASE. I will STRONGLY oppose this and get my neighbors to do the same. Balance the budget on your dime, not mine!
ReplyDeleteI think their needs to be some equality. I also live an area where I pay a special tax to RUSD every year. I pay $4700.00 just to a RUSD tax, and even though everyones home prices have plumited, that tax has stayed the same. I don't think you should ask people who are already paying a high tax to RUSD every year to pay more. I DO think other communities who do not have to pay such high funds to RUSD should get involved and pay an extra tax to help with the deficit.
ReplyDeleteI wish my tax to RUSD was only $1800! You could have it worse.
Actually, I pay $1800 twice a year. I think we live in the same HOA. LOL. :) You must have a nice, huge house. :)
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ReplyDeleteI would not vote for a parcel tax at this time because my family cannot afford it. My family has lost one wage earner and the future does not look bright for us at this time. We are hanging on by a thread.
ReplyDeleteThe district should continue to look for additional ways to reduce the budget. Then live within its means like the rest of us. In all online budget reports, I have not seen any mention of athletics reductions. In these hard times, the district needs to take care of its primary responsibility, the education of our children. Before I can support a parcel tax, I need to see further reductions in the district -- athletics, management including cabinet and director level positions, etc.
And I have a difficult time understanding why teachers would not support furlough days to save some of the jobs of their fellow teachers. So, before I can support a parcel tax, I need to see more efforts from teachers and administrators. Do not look for additional taxes from those of us who are struggling to keep our jobs and make ends meet.
I do not support furlough day because of exactly what you said (comment above). A lot of us are hanging on by a thread. A furlough day means a reduction in pay! Last time I checked teachers were not the ones collecting the high salaries in the district. The education of students in RUSD is the responsibilty of ALL not just the people that work for RUSD.
ReplyDeleteWe, teachers would love to be offered the opportunity to vote on furlough days, salary reductions, and salary freezes. Unfortunately, the district has not offered this our union. RUSD needs to open the lines of communication with RCTA and allow us to start bargaining to save teacher jobs and preserve class size reduction which is so vital to the academic success of each and every child in Riverside. Our students need their teachers and they should not be punished for the state's fiscal irresponsibility.
ReplyDeleteWith the current economic crises, a parcel tax of even ONE dollar would be an insult to the community. Here are some better ideas:
ReplyDeleteSwitch to a four-day-work week--longer hours but the savings from utilities and transportation could be substantial if schools are closed 3-4 extra days per month.
An ERIP without special strings attached (e.g. transfer rights).
A couple of years ago, after most unions received a 5% wage increase, the cabinet received that salary increase PLUS an ADDITIONAL raise of to 3-7% (the story was published in the Press-Enterprise). How about they rescind the "additional" increase?Lleadership should lead by example.
Lastly, the district and the unions should conduct negotiations with more transparency and bring forth all reasonable ideas, including furloughs, to the table. These negotiations could be made public via the local community asccess channels available on most cable providers. They must remember that students are the number one priority, so all parties need to come clean to the table.
I'm so tired of hearing the District and or the Union hasn't brought "it" to the table! When is "someone" or some "group" going to begin this process!!!! Time is ticking! This district is about to lose some outstanding teachers! I don't want to lose my job! I have worked too hard to just see it slip away! I work countless hours to implement and plan for my students. My students need me! There are some great ideas mentioned on this blog! When can we meet to discuss! It has got to start somewhere! I'm available anytime after 2:40 p.m. in E-120 at Beatty Elementary! My name is Laura Boling and I will not be anonymous!
ReplyDeleteDr. Miller,
ReplyDeleteI'm writing because my heart is breaking. Our school, Mark Twain, is losing 22 of our teachers. 22! That is more than half our staff. Our school has been utterly gutted. It is distressing to me that with such a catastrophic loss at our school, no district leader has felt the compassion to come to our school and show us some support. Did you even know that our school is losing that many teachers, and if you did know, why haven't we seen or heard from you? As elementary teachers we are mandated by Judi Paredes and her staff to know our student test data backwards and forwards as we analyze it ad nauseum. Shouldn't those of you in charge know your schools in the same way? It feels as if no one else in this district is held to the same high standards as teachers. If you were, we would have seen you by now. All our teachers have received is yet another email from Ellen Parker telling us how to analyze Theme 5 data to watch for things that will be on the CST. This shows such a lack of caring. No other school is facing these kinds of cuts. We are readying for a site visit from the Ca. Distinguished Schools committee. It won't be a very distinguished school without more than half of the teachers who worked so hard to achieve a nearly impossible goal. Where are you?
Way to go Mrs. Boling. I hear and feel you loud and clear. I'm here too. LaShawne Mouton-Mitchell at Patricia Beatty Elementary.
ReplyDeleteI too am concerned with the loss of library assistants in our middle and high schools! Our library will open later and close earlier, and how can 1 person do all this work? We need to have our library open as long as possible. This is the back bone to our school, knowledge is power. Kids need an operating library.
ReplyDeleteLet’s cut some of the activities we have going on and get back to basics! Why can’t we have a varsity team only for just one or two years? If you cut all of the AP's, who will be at the activities at night time? We need the administration present to all of these events.
You want to pull more AP's from these same schools? We are talking lots of students in some of our large schools and less supervision. We need to stay on top of our students, keep up the success, do you want more CA Distinguished Schools or be known for the worse.
Get rid of more management please!
Cut more of the management positions and their secretaries! Keep the schools up and running. Less supervision at the school level means we will have these students in control, they will end up running our schools, and all because we can’t afford the coverage. This age group still needs guidance.
How about looking into the smaller job titles, do we really need someone to just count money, if we condense some of these positions, combine a few, but look at who is really at the sites and what they do?
Let’s cut some of the activities we have going on and get back to basics! Why can’t we have a varsity team only for just one or two years? If you cut all of the AP's, who will be at the activities at night time? We need the administration present to all of these events.
ReplyDeleteYou want to pull more AP's from these same schools? We are talking lots of students in some of our large schools and less supervision. We need to stay on top of our students, keep up the success, do you want more CA Distinguished Schools or be known for the worse.
Get rid of more management please!
Cut more of the management positions and their secretaries! Keep the schools up and running. Less supervision at the school level means we will have these students in control, they will end up running our schools, and all because we can’t afford the coverage. This age group still needs guidance.
How about looking into the smaller job titles, do we really need someone to just count money, if we condense some of these positions, combine a few, but look at who is really at the sites and what they do?