By Lookout Staff

April 27, 2010 --Ballots are being mailed this week to the homes of registered voters in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District for Measure A, the $198-per-parcel tax being proposed as the lone item in a special mail-in election. If approved, the measure would generate an estimated $5.7 million per year for the SMMUSD for five years.

Measure A advocates say the tax must pass to bring much-needed money into a District that could be facing a budget shortfall next fiscal year as high as $14 million. Opponents have various arguments, with the major one being that they say the proposal is unfair because it is for a tax with the same price tag regardless of property size.

Two-thirds of the voters must support the measure for it to pass. Homeowners over the age of 65 can file for an exemption, but there is no exemption for senior renters. It is up to the landlord whether the tax would be divided among the tenants regardless of any renter’s age.

Mailed ballots must be received at the Los Angeles County Registrar’s Office in Norwalk by 8 p.m. on May 25. On that day, ballots can also be dropped off at Santa Monica City Hall and two locations in Malibu.

Residents can register to vote for this election by May 10. Those who do not receive a ballot or lose their ballot must go to Registrar’s Office in Norwalk by May 25. For more information, go to www.lavote.net and scroll down to the section on this election.

For more information on Measure A and the SMMUSD’s fiscal situation, see these articles:

March 29, 2010 Rebuttal Arguments for SMMUSD Funding Measure Released

March 3, 25 2010 Council Endorses School Tax Measure

March 3, 15 2010 SMMUSD Funding Measure Arguments Released

March 15, 2010 Chamber Supports School District Tax%20

March 5, 2010 District Staff facing Layoffs Reduced to 61

March 1, 2010 Group Forms to Oppose School District Tax

Februrary 19, 2010 School Board oks 92 layoffs

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