Peralta Community College District

Measure E Parcel Tax - 2/3 Approval Required

Argument in Favor of Measure E

Protect affordable education, teachers and students without raising tax rates – Vote YES on E!

Our local Community College – Oakland’s Laney and Merritt Colleges, College of Alameda, and Berkeley City College – are an essential safety net for students who transfer to university or get specialized job training that prepares them for well-paying, 21^st century careers.

YES on E preserves core in-demand academic programs including math, science and English that help students prepare for transfer to 4-year universities.

YES on E saves students and their families thousands of dollars. As the cost of U.C. and Cal State tuition continues to rise, Measure E will maintain critical core academic programs, tutoring, and attract and retain high-quality faculty – again, without raising tax rates!

Measure E simply continues voter-approved, locally-controlled funding that MUST be spent on our local community colleges. By law, NO funding could be taken by the state.

YES on E continues to be fiscally accountable. Every penny will stay in our community and NO funds can be used for administrators’ salaries.

Vote YES on E! We must maintain programs that train and prepare students with high-quality, affordable education. Measure E will continue providing students with valuable job skills while also making a difference in our community, like the current program building much-needed housing for people who are homeless.

Our local Laney, Merritt, Alameda and Berkeley colleges serve tens of thousands of students per year, preparing them for university transfer and successful careers. We must continue Measure E, without raising tax rates, amid rising costs of education and living in our region.

Join the Board of Trustees, students, educators, businesses and community leaders in voting YES on E!

Barbara Lee, Member of Congress

Adrien Abuyen, Former Peralta Colleges Student Trustee/U.C. Berkeley Student

Toni R. Cook, Retired Peralta Colleges Instructor

Aisha K. L. Jordan, Student Trustee, Peralta Community College District 

PLEASE VOTE NO on this premature AND unnecessary TAX EXTENSION. For three years, 2015-2018, I served as Chairperson of the Citizens’ Oversight Committee, group appointed by the Peralta Community College District to represent the interests of taxpayers on Peralta District ballot measures. Unfortunately, For three years, I have seen the misuse of your parcel tax dollars.

In 2012, voters approved an eight year Parcel Tax giving the Peralta Community College District $8 million annually to assist Peralta’s four colleges to educate students for successful careers and university transfer. Two years remain on the current tax.

From 2012-2014, monies were properly spent. But, In 2015 matters changes. 

Since 2015, taxpayer money has been shifted from the colleges, classrooms and students to pay for non-academic District office expenditures. An audit disclosed a drastic reduction in parcel tax funded academic expenditures.

As Oversight Committee Chairperson, I implored the District to honor taxpayer intent and return funding to the colleges, classrooms and, most importantly, the students. I asked for records showing which funds were allocated to the colleges and how they were used. These requests were denied or ignored.

Now, the Peralta Community College District is asking taxpayers to extend the $8 million annually to 2028 without guarantees that the money will be spent as the taxpayers intended.

As Oversight Committee Chairperson, I asked the Peralta Community College District to postpone this ballot measure until 2020 and implement measure guaranteeing the money is spent properly. Request denied.

Your NO vote sends a clear message that you expect fiscal responsibility and accountability. Your money must focus on students.

With solid reforms, I will support a parcel tax extension in 2020. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely, Michael B. Mills, former chairperson (2015-18), Citizens’ Oversight Committee for the Parcel Tax

REBUTTAL STATEMENT TO MEASURE E

The health of Laney, Merritt, College of Alameda and Berkeley City College is critical to the educational and economic well being of our diverse communities. PROPER use of the current Parcel Tax is essential to ensuring student success.

Taxpayers intended the annual $8 Million Parcel Tax revenue to be given to the colleges to use for student success. Unfortunately, the administration has spent little on the classroom.

Board of Trustees, you are responsible for the administration’s conduct. Are you listening to student please about class cuts and unavailable classes adding semesters to their educational careers? Do you ask why classes are being cut? Do you ask for clear expenditure records and accountability for the annual $8 million? The answer to all is no.

Taxpayers, the District Administration is asking you to extend the $48 per year to 2028. Don’t the administration and the Board owe you a GUARANTEE that the colleges and students get your money?

Two years remain on the current parcel tax. There is time to develop an enforceable plan.

Your NO vote shouts out clearly: show us how you use the money for the remaining two years and have a specific plan for the future.

As promised, I’ll gladly support a Parcel Tax in 2020 if the District complies with the taxpayer’s original intent. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely, Michael B. Mills, former chairperson (2015-18), Citizens’ Oversight Committee

Rebuttal to Argument Against Measure E

Did the opponent even bother to check the facts? Voting YES on E continues Peralta Colleges commitment to strong fiscal stewardship, transparency and accountability focused on STUDENT success – without raising tax rates!

Here are the facts the opposition wants you to Ignore:

FACT: A recent independent audit found that the “…Peralta Community College District has properly accounted for expenses…and that such expenditures were made for the purpose and activities authorized by the voter…”

FACT: NO Measure E funding can be spent on district administrators’ salaries. ALL Measure E funding must be spent as voters authorized, which the recent publically-available audit found.

FACT: A Citizens Oversight Committee and independent financial audits will continue to guarantee Measure E accountability so YES on E can continue to support high-quality affordable college education amid ever increasing U.C. and Cal State costs, critical core academic programing, tutoring, workforce/career/job training, and attracting/retaining high-quality teachers so students continue to be prepared for university transfer and successful careers.

FACT: Measure E simply extends existing, voter-approved funding – without raising tax rates. Thirty thousand students, veterans and their families rely on Laney, Merritt, Berkeley, and Alameda Colleges to save thousands of dollars on education while preparing for university or high-paying jobs in our region – we must continue Measure E.

Join students, teachers and community leaders in voting YES on E to support our local community colleges, students and teachers.

Meredith Brown, Board President, Peralta Colleges

Toni R. Cook, Retired Peralta Colleges Instructor