Publication Date: Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Setting their sights on Measure A funds
Setting their sights on Measure A funds
(June 22, 2005) District plans changes to running of parcel tax oversight committee
by Alexandria Rocha
Following its electoral success, the local school district is preparing to implement a citizens' oversight committee that will ensure Measure A funds are spent the way voters were promised -- on teachers and small classes.
No official plans have been made, but the school board will likely adopt a committee similar to the one tracking Measure A's predecessor, the parcel tax of 2001. That group consists of five people who meet once a year.
New criteria for members and how they are chosen is on the table. The current committee, which will meet for the last time this summer because the tax expires, was simply appointed by the Board of Education.
But that process has been criticized for being autocratic. To address those concerns, board members said there could be some sort of application process this time around.
Citizens' oversight committees for parcel taxes are not required by law, and there are no guidelines on how to implement them. It's up to the discretion of each district, and many choose not to operate have oversight committees at all.
"Because the parcel tax is built into our budget and is part of our curriculum and staffing, it's different than a bond, which required ongoing supervision by a committee," said Carol Orton, president of Menlo Park City School District's Board of Education. The district publishes an annual community report instead.
Woodside School District doesn't have an oversight committee for its parcel tax either.
Los Altos Elementary School District, on the other hand, has a formal operation called the Citizens' Advisory Committee for Finance. There are about 12 to 15 people on the committee at one time and they serve three-year terms. Sub-committees are also created as needed.
"It has been used a lot by the board," said Margot Harrigan, president of the Los Altos school board.
During the campaign for Measure A -- an annual $493 parcel tax that voters approved June 7 -- supporters were adamant about providing residents with detailed information on how the money would be used.
With Palo Alto's tax now levied, the district is determined to maintain the same level of transparency. Similar to past procedures, the new citizens' oversight committee would be required to meet at least once a year, generally after the books are closed on each school year, and make a report to the board in late summer. The committee would review and question the district's report on how the money was spent.
Julie Jerome, a former school board member who serves on the current oversight group, said there was some confusion in the beginning about what the committee was supposed to do. After an initial meeting with the then district business manager, Bob Golton, who has since retired, the committee came up with its plan, Jerome said.
"We weren't auditors, we didn't go through the books, but if there was any information we thought was unclear we made suggestions," she said.
Board Vice President Mandy Lowell is planning to urge for some changes that would smooth out the process.
"There should be an open application process, so that people apply down at the district," she said. "Even if we keep it with each board member appointing a person they could still apply to the board members."
The current committee members were chosen with loose criteria. The board wanted to include representatives from five demographics in Palo Alto. The result was three men and two women and three of the original five have since resigned and been replaced
For now, the discussion on exactly how to implement the committee is planned for a board meeting in late August.
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