School district asking if residents would support tax

The Napa Valley Unified School District is going ahead with plans for a poll to learn whether area residents would support a school parcel tax.

Unlike most school bond measures, in which the amount of a tax is dependent on the value of the home, a parcel tax is a flat-fee for homeowners. Implementing the tax requires approval from two-thirds of voters.

The telephone poll comes with a $16,250 price tag for the school district. The contract with Goodwin Simon Strategic Research includesan option to do additional polling in American Canyon for an additional $1,500.

Pollsters will make between 1,000-2,000 calls, coming up with complete data from 400 Napa registered voters planning on voting in the June election.

Forty additional qualified responses from American Canyon could be added to the poll sample.

The 15-minute long survey will go out before Dec. 21, the beginning of the school district’s winter break.

School district officials have not detailed what programs would receive parcel tax funds, should such a tax go to a ballot and be approved by voters.

Correction: An earlier version of this article implied only 400 people would be contacted.

Would you support a parcel tax for Napa schools?(survey software)

47 comment(s)

DannyK wrote on Nov 6, 2009 1:55 PM:

" Why would it take 15 minutes to ask," would you support a parcel tax to the school district?"
400 calls for more than $16,250: let me in on it!! That's $40.62 each call. "

rico wrote on Nov 6, 2009 2:18 PM:

" Ummm, DannyK? Because they will be asking more than one question.

I am fully in support of this tax - it not only will benefit the children in school now, but will benefit society as a whole. I think that is worth paying for. "

raybo wrote on Nov 6, 2009 2:26 PM:

" I will support a parcel tax only if it includes a tax credit to those who do not have children. The cost of these phone calls is a good example of your education tax dollars at work. "

Cowboy wrote on Nov 6, 2009 2:29 PM:

" Polls can be easily manipulated. Follow the money. "

notanapanative wrote on Nov 6, 2009 3:08 PM:

" What a colossal waste of money and time!

Instead of focussing on getting the most out of the money they already have, the NVUSD thinks the people will approve an additional tax, during these very tough economic times?

It must be nice to be so insulated from what goes on in normal working families daily lives, that the idea of just adding a new tax is even considered.

I suggest that the Board try to do what everyone except any level of government has figured out how to do, LIVE WITHIN YOUR BUDGET!

Go ahead NVUSD, waste $16,000 that should be spent on the kids and then wonder why the populace is unsympathetic to you wanting more money "for the kids".

I support good education and good education management. Unfortunately I haven't seen much of either here in Napa.

You cannot fix a problem simply by throwing money at it, you simply end up masking the problem.

Deal with the issues, run a efficient and effective school system and I will certainly support higher taxes IF I see that those two things have happened, and the schools still need more money at that point.

Until then I am a very vocal "No" vote on the Parcel tax! "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 6, 2009 3:12 PM:

" Let the school district cut back like everyone else is going too. Taxes from the Federal Government, an added 10% withholding from the state after a two year tax increase that did no good.

Counties and cities will not be far behind. Let the school district cut back on their salaries, consolidate schools, and feel the pinch as the rest of us are.

NO NEW TAXES! "

rico wrote on Nov 6, 2009 3:30 PM:

" freeport, the school district IS cutting back on everything. They are currently doing every single one of the things you suggest.

raybo, even if you don't have children, this affects you. If you want to live in a place with an undereducated society, vote no. But if you'd like to live in a city with workers who know what they are doing, you should rethink your stance. "

John Richards wrote on Nov 6, 2009 3:32 PM:

" One has to wonder if there are any wise leaders left in the school district. They must have money to burn if they are wasting it on a useless poll. There is not a ghost of a chance that a parcel tax would pass at a time when unemployment is over 10%. "

Jenn wrote on Nov 6, 2009 3:40 PM:

" I would want to know how much of a flat rate fee this would be for homeowners before I could say yes or no. On my property tax bill I already pay on three NVUSD ELEC Bonds (there is a breakdown on your bill), so how much more are we talking about here. As it is, it is only about $23 total that I pay extra every year, so if they are only talking a couple dollars extra for everyone, I would support it. But if we are talking a lot more, then no. "

FireEater wrote on Nov 6, 2009 3:55 PM:

" I'm with Freeport56. New taxes? Are you out of your frickin' minds? They can't be trusted with $16000.00 much less hundred's of thousands. You want my support? simple answer to that - Hell NO!!! "

ao1982 wrote on Nov 6, 2009 4:59 PM:

" I would do anything to support education. It is vital and imperative to the success of our future. Its too bad our own government doesnt feel the same. They would rather spend $250,000 on security for one man in a year! Are you kidding me? This gov't is messed up! Priorities dont exist in the world of politics. "

Kathy Concened wrote on Nov 6, 2009 5:04 PM:

" I pay on 4 school bonds in Napa County. Our school system does not rank well with others. The Governor said 50% of CA taxes go to education. Taxpayeres should demand an audit. "

109823 wrote on Nov 6, 2009 5:06 PM:

" I just mailed off my property taxes to the tune of $4500+ I sure don't want them raised. If you can't make do with what you've got cut back in other areas. No, to more taxes. "

mofosheee wrote on Nov 6, 2009 5:11 PM:

" I would support this tax if the administrators and bureaucrats were to take a substantial pay cut. Please consider their past performance "

Orual wrote on Nov 6, 2009 5:40 PM:

" The parcel tax would be $150.00 a year per household per year. That breaks down to about $2.50 a week.

The poll is being done because passing a parcel tax is how many other communities in the state have dealt with the obscene amount of money that the government took from California education. It would be a bigger waste of money for Napa to pay for a campaign explaining why this is so needed and the huge difference it would make if it has no chance of passing. The district is saving money by conducting a poll to see if there are enough people interested in contributing to the education of their children before following through with the expensive process.

There were many attempts to getting around paying professionals to do the poll but it is not legal to do so.

Everyone realizes this is bad timing, especially with the bond measures for security systems and facilities already passing. I'm sure those would have never been proposed if anyone could foresee unprecedented cuts our district would face. The poll is simply being done because of the success other school districts have had with a parcel tax and Napa would like to know if there is an interest in this community. "

robert wrote on Nov 6, 2009 6:01 PM:

" Education, police and fire protection are all important. Why are they always the first to be threatened for a cut?! To scare us into approving more taxes? Priorities, please, people. There is a spending problem, not a revenue problem. We do not need more taxes, we need better managers. starting at the top of government. Hell no to ANY new taxes. "

BrownsValley wrote on Nov 6, 2009 6:12 PM:

" The fundamental question is what will NVUSD do with the funds raised by a parcel tax? If they specifically stated and agreed to in a legally binding manner, the funds would support only classroom instruction or supplemental programs proven to be able have our students reading at grade level and meeting the NAEP standards for math and science soon (1 year), I am all for a parcel tax. If the funds are too support the existing programs that have delivered less than half of our fifth grade students meeting the lowly California proficiency levels for math, reading and science. No thanks. NVUSD is under program improvement for a reason. The district is ranked as a little above average in a state ranked 48th in education, in a country ranked below average compared to the rest of the world. "

cagirl wrote on Nov 6, 2009 6:35 PM:

" My tax bill this year increased A LOT--I have owned my home for 15 years and my taxes are almost $4500 this year--I can only imagine what people who paid over 500K for their homes are paying--is NVUSD crazy? No, No, and NO "

antipc wrote on Nov 6, 2009 6:42 PM:

" Right after Hell freezes over. "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 6, 2009 6:47 PM:

" The Fed = us, are $13+ Trillion in debt. California=us, is $450 Billion in debt.

Who do you think picks up the tab for all this political spending....WE DO!

Enough is Enough!

the rich do not even have enough to vover these bills! We have 16% unemployment when you get past the phony reporting numbers. "

noblindershere wrote on Nov 6, 2009 6:50 PM:

" well, Dorthy Lind-Salmon stated at a board meeting that she would help foot the bill for the polling, is this happening???? The district could also look at the poll the Register is taking and catch a clue.
Start closing those schools and cutting admin jobs, because there is no way that school tax is passing "

So It Goes wrote on Nov 6, 2009 6:52 PM:

" I to am disappointed there was a decision made to spend school money on this parcel tax telephone poll.

I personally feel the money for this should have been paid for by the various school union’s (teacher’s and classified).
I believe the push to ask for this poll to be taken was from a group of people that came together at a school board meeting in the last few months.

Yes,
this group might have been Napa tax payers and or parents of children in the school district, but dollars to donuts they were also mostly district employees or their relatives.

I very much appreciate all of the hardworking teachers, maintenance staff, and support staff in our district.

I very much DO NOT appreciate all of the other teachers, maintenance staff, and support staff who are not dedicated, hardworking, honest, or reasonably trained.
I do not appreciate union representatives who advocate keeping the latter group of employees employed.
I do not appreciate employees who are asked to come to trainings to improve their skills and choose to blow-off the school administration’s request for them to attend.
I do not appreciate district administration that can’t or won’t sanction these employees.

NVUSD:
Look within before you look outside.
I will not vote for a new tax for employee salaries, which is what this tax will be used for. NO.

I would also oppose any new bond measure within the next ten years for new facilities projects. NO. "

Old Time Napkin wrote on Nov 6, 2009 6:55 PM:

" Been a home owner in this town since 1964. No kids, but we've paid plenty of school taxes and are continuing to pay them. My property taxes are almost $4000 per year.
Looking at the school drop out rate, the wasted money on this survey, and how the school district has wasted money in other ways(remember the school desk fiasco), there is no way I would support a tax increase. I can't believe they would even consider a tax increase in these times. It's pretty obvious that no one in the district knows anything about economics. These folks need a reality check. "

jeeper16 wrote on Nov 6, 2009 8:55 PM:

" Tax and spend, tax and spend, tax and spend, etc..... Sound familiar???? "

MarkMiwords wrote on Nov 6, 2009 8:59 PM:

" NVUSD: The answer is "no". Times are difficult and your timing is terrible. "

ysoserious wrote on Nov 6, 2009 9:55 PM:

" Robert your answer is pretty much spot on. we don't need any more taxes we need better management of the current funds. "

bmxdad wrote on Nov 6, 2009 10:16 PM:

" Simply No "

Mr. Feasor wrote on Nov 6, 2009 10:42 PM:

" Wow.

Very bad timing on this one. Either put it on the ballot or not. Use voluntary campaign dollars to push the cause, not public funds to research an election issue.

If anything, it has been shown that throwing money at the problem has not solved the problem. There are internal expense issues that need to be addressed before requesting more money from property owners.

Orual said:

"There were many attempts to getting around paying professionals to do the poll but it is not legal to do so."

I am curious. What law prevents a school district board from appointing a committee to poll residents and compile this data? So long as the process is transparent, accounted for, and calculable, what law requires the use of paid "professionals?" "

dinosilver wrote on Nov 6, 2009 11:10 PM:

" Looks like the online poll in this article pretty much answers the question - and for no additional $$. No on a parcel tax. Those that want to contribute extra dollars to the schools are always welcome to make contributions. "

alixzander wrote on Nov 7, 2009 12:03 AM:

" the school needs money in order to keep benefiting children and yet the market can't meet the demand? i thought the market was suppose to respond to people's needs? everyone is missing the bigger point. "

kbf wrote on Nov 7, 2009 8:55 AM:

" Before we even think of another tax, if the district is so concerned about our childrens and grandchildrens eduction, I agree have the people who sit in the ivory castle on Jefferson st, take a big pay cut. How many people with a doctorate degree do we need to run a school district, and not do a good job of it.
There are a lot of areas where cuts could be made that would not impact our kids education. Making the district as a whole accoluntable from janitors to the top people. "

naysayer wrote on Nov 7, 2009 9:00 AM:

" noblindershere, you are seriously suggesting that the school district base their decisions off of the Register's COMPLETELY unscientific poll? I hope you don't get to make decisions in your job, because that is a truly scary suggestion. "

get_a_clue wrote on Nov 7, 2009 9:10 AM:

" Sorry I do not agree with any new taxes for property owners even for the school district. Have renters start paying the taxes as for us we already pay for four NVUSD taxes on our property enough is enough. "

reader wrote on Nov 7, 2009 9:38 AM:

" A liberal democrate here saying NO, not this time, not in this economic climate. "

notanapanative wrote on Nov 7, 2009 9:51 AM:

" Alix, you miss the point most of these posters are making.

Everyone wants and supports good education! No disagreement there.

Given the poor state of management, student results, past waste and excessive employee costs the schools are now in a financially untenable position, quite simply the status quo cannot be maintained.

The question is how do you move forward?

The first option raise revenue and continue on with an admittedly failing model?

Or, fix some of the core failings and then see if more money is actually needed.

The problem is that there are very strong groups who have a VESTED FINANCIAL INTEREST IN MAINTAINING THE STATUS QUO. The many teachers and administrators are BY DEFINITION NOT OBJECTIVE.

It is unreasonable to let the people receiving financial benefits from taxes to set the taxes or even influence their increase.

The simple point many are making is that the taxpayer has paid more and more into school funding and gotten little is any return on their investment.

It is time for a reevaluation of the way schools are funded, what gets funded, and to what level.

The system is broken and we need to fix it BEFORE we even talk about spending any more money on schools. "

GirlCaptain wrote on Nov 7, 2009 12:03 PM:

" I'm a property owner in Napa, and I struggle to afford and maintain my home. I have no children, yet I've never balked at paying for public schools... until now. Enough is enough. I live near an elementary school, and a large majority of the children in my neighborhood live in rental properties, where their parents are not paying directly for the schools. The rest of my tax bill includes special assessments for services that I use (sewer) or that are available to me (paramedic services). I think its time for parents to pay to educate their kids. Their children go to the schools, they should support them directly. "

littlered56 wrote on Nov 7, 2009 12:51 PM:

" If every business in the cooperate world operated like the school systum does they would all be out of business.

It is ludicrous how the school systems operate. They have adminstrators for every thing including toilets and how and when they are to be used.
Remember the school desk fiascial,....well that was the least of the waiste that goes on.

the entire education system needs to be redone to first meet the higher standards if education for the students. Schools need to reach out to the business world to see what students need to know to be employable. They need to have more education in the vocational aspect for those who want and need it.
It is insane to have as many adminstrators and assistant adminstrators in one district. The entire district need an audit from an out side financial firm, qualified to prepare said audit.
Napa has many retired attorneys and doctors and business people who could serve on the Board of Education and do a great job.
where are you Joe?????? "

noblindershere wrote on Nov 7, 2009 1:31 PM:

" naysayer, do you really think I was serious when I suggested that the NVR poll be one that the district should count? Seriously...

I too am a very liberal democrat that has supported this district in so many ways,but I have had it with the current leadership. Special interest groups are wagging his tail and it is becoming so obvious. Dr. Glaser needs to be held accountable for his lack of leadership in the downtown office that didn't prepare years ago for a downturn in the economy. SPend, Spend, spend without thinking ahead. Why didn't the school closure talk become a reality before it gets too late and we once again are going to have to deal with class size increases, elimination of crucial programs and more teacher lay offs. I still have yet to see any evidence of the downtown office making drastic cuts. SO much focus is being put on the new ACHS and the partnerships they are making to be this "model" for schools aroung the nation, well how about all the other schools in the district, are they models? I think not. End Segregation, make cuts downtown, close the small inefficient schools and then suggest a tax "

noblindershere wrote on Nov 7, 2009 2:46 PM:

" Joe Keebler for Board President, I agree. He would whip Dr. Glaser into shape "

rico wrote on Nov 7, 2009 2:48 PM:

" noblinders, so you will sell out the next generation of children because you don't like the superintendent? Who you think should have had a crystal ball and predicted years ago that the state would slash education spending like never before? Sounds personal, and very mature...

What special interest groups are "wagging his tail"? The ones that advocate for children? "

4real wrote on Nov 7, 2009 3:33 PM:

" littlered56, apparently you are unaware of who curently serves on our school board. There is an attorney, a winery executive, a college counselor, and the head of a Napa non-profit, to name a few.

I think they are doing an incredible job in a very difficult time - I am sure none of them like the choices they are being forced to make. "

noblindershere wrote on Nov 7, 2009 4:54 PM:

" rico- we have tried to close the schools before, but they wanted the votes to pass bond measures and so now they will close those schools after the money has already been pledged. What about being upfront and saying 6 years ago that the small schools were not in the long term plan and shut them and create a larger reserve.
special interest groups, you know the ones that send their children to private schools through 8th grade, because what we offer isn't up to their standards until high school.
Its not personal, its how I see it as well as many others. All our children are not going to go to college, like our current system is hoping for. We need plumbers, electricians, technical aides etc... in our future work force. With so much focus being put on technology and college readiness I think we are leaving behind a crew of valuable people in our society. Crystal ball? Did we really think that good times wood last forever? California has never supported education in the same manner that several other states have and this is why we have special interest groups swooping down on our local schools. "

Lmw wrote on Nov 7, 2009 5:25 PM:

" I believe 5-6 years ago the crystal ball was showing us... chopping time is coming.. Rates were pushing into danger zone.
So, the board didn't see that. "

calfan wrote on Nov 7, 2009 5:37 PM:

" Noblindershere, you don't get what college and CAREER readiness is all about, clearly. It is about properly preparing our children to enter the workforce. Tomorrow's plumbers, electricians, etc. will need to have advanced skills in order to thrive in the workplace, and increasing the standards will help them get those skills.

As far as your theories about the plots the school district has...wow. Do you truly believe that they want to close any schools? If you do, then you are quite misguided and misinformed. "

noblindershere wrote on Nov 7, 2009 5:48 PM:

" calfan- so increasing math and science requirements are going to help someone become a hairstylist, mechanic, wood craftsman...I'm not getting it I guess. The old style shop classes are disappearing and believe or not, people will need to know how to use a saw to build homes. The recent graduates are no more prepared to enter the workforce than 30 years ago when they actually had real career readiness classes. Two math classes a day for some, seems a bit strange for a future mechanic.
LMw- no I guess they didn't see it coming, I guess the downturn int he economy after Sept 11th wasn't a clue at all "

littlered56 wrote on Nov 7, 2009 7:02 PM:

" Sorry but the current board is not doing a good job.
I was not thinking of Joe Keebler but now that you bring up his name I agree he would be outstaning I was thinking of another Joe....Peatman who would do a great job again!
I think the current board can not see the forrest for the trees. "

charliesheen wrote on Nov 7, 2009 7:58 PM:

" Those authorizing $16K for this poll need to be recalled, plain and simple. This boondoggle represents the utter contempt elected officials have for their consituencies. In 4 simple words: "Let 'em eat cake". "

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