On a regular basis, we will be publishing letters from residents to residents in the edition we call “MB Residents Speak…” If you have information or an opinion, and you would like to share it with your MB neighbors, please email your letter to MBStrong2021@gmail.com.
Email your comments by clicking here at MBStrong2021@gmail.com.
Dear MB Residents,
Reasons why I am opposed to Measure A Parcel Tax:
(1) School Board parcel tax survey shows weak support, most MB Residents oppose the new Parcel Tax (30% of households have children, while 70% of the voters do not);
(2) True financial impacts of Measure A will shock residents due to excessive increases in funding and lack of transparency and accountability in proposed expenditures;
(3) Current School Board lacks fiscal discipline and accountability and has demonstrated reckless over-spending practices;
(4) Declining enrollments and increased spending should not be rewarded with more funding, and
(5) Opposition vote is critical because Measure A lowers the threshold for passing the legislation using an election loophole (requires a simple 50% +1 vote versus the normal 2/3rd majority necessary to pass increases in taxes).
Measure A was ill-conceived and needs a major overhaul. Residents – BEWARE – Measure A is a disaster waiting to happen to our community and schools!
Remember not voting will result in a yes vote.
Vote NO on Measure A!
-25-year MB resident
To MB Residents,
People should stop funding MBEF until they stop using donations for political purposes. MBEF has been taken over by the same people that are in the teachers union and far-left ideology. They pretend to have NO INFLUENCE ON SCHOOL POLICY.
Unfortunately, MBEF has become part of the problem and not the solution... they are in lockstep with the teacher unions and the woke left and I for one am done.
-MB Resident that is done with MBEF
To MB Residents,
Everyone should be aware that Measure A is being put on the June ballot because there is always a very low voter turnout in June. So the proponents who organized this Measure are hoping to capture 50% + 1 vote which if 15% of the voters go out and vote, it could pass with literally 7.5% + 1 vote of the entire community of voters. It’s a sneaky trick, which is why we need to make sure we have a strong turnout to vote against the Measure.
-Resident with eyes wide open
Dear MB Residents,
MBEF solicits funds from the community to support our schools, and for years, people have allocated a portion of their discretionary funds to support education. Now, contributors find out that their discretionary contributions were used to compel the community to create a compulsory tax that would essentially be an entitlement. The government would be entitled to at least another $100 per month from every parcel owner, from the CEO starting a family in the sand section, to the MB native still living in their parent’s east Manhattan bungalow.
While it’s compassionate to support education in general, it’s not compassionate to presume you should make decisions on where your neighbors’ discretionary funds are spent. I don’t know every parcel owner in town, and neither does anyone else. But I don’t presume to be better positioned to decide if they would prefer to spend that $100 on ballet lessons, a math tutor, an AYSO registration, a family dinner, donation to a charity, or lottery tickets.
So, it’s disturbing for those who don’t want another parcel tax to find that previous discretionary donations are employed to inhibit future discretionary decisions. Margaret Thatcher once said that the problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money. Well, the problem with Manhattan Beach may be the perception that there’s still plenty of other people’s money.
No on Measure A.
-19-year Resident
To Residents,
A parcel tax of $1,095 actually costs each resident about $2,200 of their earnings because this is not a deductible expense. So the Measure A materials should say that it costs residents approximately $2,200 of their earnings every year for 12 years (you have to make approx $2,200 in income to pay $1,095 for this tax), yet the school only gets $1,095 of that money.
However, if residents donated the $2,200, MBUSD would get to keep the entire $2,200 (So if we earn $2,200 at work and then donate it to MBEF [or some other entity] the entire amount is efficiently utilized because we do NOT have to pay income tax on this $2,200 of income because we get a charitable deduction on our taxes).
This parcel tax is inefficient & irresponsible from an accounting and tax perspective. There are smarter methods for raising money. Many older residents that are not 65 cannot afford the cost of this. Also requiring senior citizens to exempt themselves each year is wrong. That creates unnecessary paperwork and stress for senior citizens in our town.
-A TaxWise Resident
Email WeTheParentsMB@gmail.com for a sign.
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