SAN JOSE, CA – The Santa Clara County Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution supporting the Schools and Communities First Ballot Measure set to appear on the November 2020 ballot.
California has the fifth largest economy in the world, yet falls short in providing adequate funding to services that support the state’s children, ranking 41st in the nation on education spending according to the Governor Gavin Newsom’s office. Property taxes on commercial and industrial properties are a principal source of funding for schools and local communities. While other states assess commercial and industrial property based on its fair market value, California allows commercial and industrial property taxes to go many years without reassessment.
Passage of the Schools and Communities First Ballot Measure would preserve most of Proposition 13, including the one-percent property tax cap, and would maintain the current property tax structure for homeowners and small business owners, while assessing large corporations at fair market value.
The resolution outlined the ballot measure’s proposal and its passage’s potential impact on schools and communities. In it, the Santa Clara County Board of Education and County
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mary Ann Dewan declared their support for the Schools & Communities First Ballot Measure. It ensures that schools and communities come first, with the resources to better educate students and provide services to support families.
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About the Santa Clara County Office of Education
Working collaboratively with school and community partners, the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) is a regional service agency that provides instructional, business, and technology services to the 31 school districts of Santa Clara County. The County Office of Education directly serves students through special education programs, alternative schools, Head Start and State Preschool programs, migrant education, and Opportunity Youth Academy. The SCCOE also provides academic and fiscal oversight and monitoring to districts in addition to the 22 Santa Clara County Board of Education authorized charter schools.