Over $140,000 raised to push Measure A
Includes $49,999 from MBEF, plus $6,494 from PTA coffers
This is NOT a grassroots, “citizen-led” movement.
The handful of individuals who put forth Measure A, MB Citizens for Schools Committee, passed itself off as simply a “citizen’s group” which allows this measure to pass with only 50% + 1 vote. But the facts point to a collaborative scheme that includes the author of Measure A, the School Board, and those who hold the purse strings at MB Education Foundation (MBEF) and 6 PTA groups.
After the School Board learned from a survey of residents that a new parcel tax would not pass by 67% of the votes, a plan was hatched to create a “citizen group” in order to use the 50%+1 loophole, hire campaign experts to push the Measure on the community, and pay the experts using donations made to MBEF and the PTA.
A financial statement filed by the Committee reveals it raised $141,192 of which $49,999 came from MBEF and $6,494 from PTA groups, a combined total of $56,493.
The Committee made payments totaling $58,861 to the professional campaign firm, Props and Measures [click here to view their website]. According to the firm’s website, lots of School Boards hire the firm to heavily market and push through measures by “customizing a set of strategies and tactics” to persuade citizens to vote “Yes.”
Using persuasive strategies provided by these experts, the Committee deployed an onslaught of campaign tactics crafted to pull on the heartstrings of MB residents that carefully avoided key facts, like a budget to show where the money will be spent.
Here are some examples of the Committee’s crafty tactics:
Parents were cornered while dropping off and picking up their children at school and pressured into signing a petition to get Measure A on the June ballot with pleas like “save our schools.” The same tactic is scheduled for this Monday and Tuesday to pressure parents for a “Yes” vote. Below is the Committee’s email asking volunteers to man all school drop-off sites.
Seniors were granted an exemption to get their vote, but the ballot requires an annual filing.
The annual filing requirement proved to be unpopular, so the School District tried to amend the ballot with a one-time exemption provision AFTER the ballot was published.
When the legal enforceability of this amendment came into question, the Committee tried to reassure seniors by mailing them a form that would allow the School Board to file annually on their behalf, but gave no assurances to its enforceability.
When the unlimited inflation kicker also proved to be unpopular, the School Board tried to calm voters down by adding another ballot amendment to cap the annual increase at 5%, but the legal enforceability is in question.
Residents have been bombarded with extensive and slick campaign messaging:
Homeowners were told a “Yes” vote will “protect our home values.”
Voters were told Measure A would be the “last education parcel tax in MB.”
Glossy, colored mailers went to every home in MB.
Expensive, full-page colored ads ran weekly in the local newspapers.
Ads regularly appeared on social media and Google searches.
Email lists from schools were used to send daily emails to parents.
After learning that their generous donations to MBEF and to the PTA were used to finance this Parcel Tax campaign, and specifically used to hire a professional campaign firm to manipulate voters, many residents have realized this “citizen’s group” smells less like grassroots and more like horse manure.
And the Committee still won’t tell us how they intend to spend the money.
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