Mill Valley School District Resolution #9-03/04:
SUPPORT STATE PROPOSITION 56 (Budget Accountability Act)

February 11, 2004

WHEREAS, Proposition 56, also known as the Budget Accountability Act, is an initiative on the March 2, 2004 ballot that will make it easier for the Legislature to pass responsible and timely state budgets; and

WHEREAS, School districts and county offices of education are state agencies dependent almost entirely on state funding and thus suffer when the state Legislature fails to pass a budget on time; and

WHEREAS, California lawmakers have rarely passed a budget by the state’s June 15 deadline; and

WHEREAS, Proposition 56 will change the legislative vote requirement to pass a budget and related taxes from two-thirds to 55 percent to reduce the chances of Legislative deadlock; and

WHEREAS, California is one of only three states that requires a two-thirds vote for budget passage; and

WHEREAS, Late state budgets tie up crucial state allocations to local school districts, jeopardizing programs and services vital to California schoolchildren; and

WHEREAS, The Legislature will have to reach broad consensus on spending priorities in order to garner a 55-percent “yes” vote on a final budget; and

WHEREAS, Proposition 56 will hold legislators accountable to their constituents for their votes on the budget, by docking the pay of lawmakers if the Legislature fails to pass a budget by the state’s July 15 Constitutional deadline; and

WHEREAS, Additional accountability measures will give voters detailed information about how the state spends taxpayers’ money, and will create a Web site where voters can find out how their respective legislators voted on the budget; and

WHEREAS, Proposition 56 will require the state to create a “rainy day” fund of 5 percent in years when revenues exceed the amount needed to fund existing service levels, a practice that can help prevent crushing state deficits in the coming years; and

WHEREAS, This measure has won endorsements from a wide range of school leaders and educational organizations, including the California School Boards Association, the Association of California School Administrators, the California Teachers Association, the California School Employees Association, the California Association of School Business Officials, the California Federation of Teachers, the California Parent Teacher Association and professional groups representing school counselors and nurses, and many others; and

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Mill Valley School District joins the California School Boards Association in its support of Proposition 56.

PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Mill Valley School District Board of Trustees at meeting held on the 11th day of February 2004, by the following vote:

AYES: 

NOES: 

ABSENT: 

ABSTAIN: 

Paula Reynolds, Clerk of the Board