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School taxes, Lowellization

By 033   Follow   Tue, 9 Oct 2012, 9:40pm   861 views   12 comments
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This is a spinoff from what I wrote in the "Property Tax" thread.

I just paid my property taxes. Four fifths of my property tax went for schools. I bought in 2011.

The school nearest me is a "neighborhood" school. It is comprised 70 percent of free/reduced lunch recipients with household incomes less than $32,000 (assuming family of 3). The neighborhood is mostly SFRs and the average home value is the neighborhood is $550,000. My neighborhood school spends $6,700 per pupil and has a 2 API.

The school one mile away is in a poorer area but not by much. Home prices are around the same. This school spends $5,100 per student and has an 8 API. Due to Lowellization (kids coming in from all over the city to go there), the neighborhood kids get assigned elsewhere.

People opine that this is all the fault of Prop. 13, but Prop. 13 impacts both areas equally.

1) How can such scenarios exist?
2) Why is it Prop. 13's fault?
3) Whose kids am I actually paying for?
4) Why the hell would I ever, ever vote for any parcel tax or mill increase?
ps: I'm way under 65.

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1. thomaswong.1986 Follow Befriend 15 threads 3,093 comments

   1   11:46pm Tue 9 Oct 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   033 says People opine that this is all the fault of Prop. 13, but Prop. 13 impacts both areas equally. 1) How can such scenarios exist? 2) Why is it Prop. 13's fault? 3) Whose kids am I actually paying for? 4) Why the hell would I ever, ever vote for any parcel tax or mill increase? ps: I'm way under 65. You mean the great idea of the State Lottery to fund CA schools didnt work afterall .. WE NEED MORE FOR SCHOOLS! well how about that! What happened to the Billions that were already funded by Gamblers ?

2. 033 Follow Befriend 7 threads 63 comments

   2   12:01am Wed 10 Oct 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   The lottery was originally spun as a "victimless" way to get more money for schools, a sure-fire way to "help poor schools." Every couple of years since, for about 30 years, here's been a bond or a parcel tax on the ballot blaming Prop. 13. The vote usually sticks it to the property owners, who are indicted for Not Caring if they object. Now due to assessor's decreases, there's a couple proposals to increase sales tax to fund schools whose funding does not seem to correlate with what those schools spend.

3. thomaswong.1986 Follow Befriend 15 threads 3,093 comments

   3   12:09am Wed 10 Oct 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   033 says Now due to assessor's decreases, there's a couple proposals to increase sales tax to fund schools whose funding does not seem to correlate with what those schools spend. Yes, i read a few articles on this.

4. 033 Follow Befriend 7 threads 63 comments

   4   12:28am Wed 10 Oct 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   Thomas, what are your thoughts on the original questions? Paraphrased,: Why isn't a neighborhood school a neighborhood school unless it's a dumping ground? Why am I an ogre for paying secured property tax? The single mom with five children on WIC, 3 ELL, 2 IEP is not paying the same. yet she is never vilified as a moocher. That's saved for people who benefit off of Prop 13.

5. bgamall4 Follow Befriend (14) 817 threads 2,811 comments 63 male Las Vegas, NV bgamall4's website Premium

   5   3:44pm Thu 11 Oct 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   Protected   033 says he school nearest me is a "neighborhood" school. It is comprised 70 percent of free/reduced lunch recipients with household incomes less than $32,000 (assuming family of 3). The neighborhood is mostly SFRs and the average home value is the neighborhood is $550,000. My neighborhood school spends $6,700 per pupil and has a 2 API. That 550k house value answers a lot. This is a bubble place, and the price of houses based upon income is a joke.

6. bgamall4 Follow Befriend (14) 817 threads 2,811 comments 63 male Las Vegas, NV bgamall4's website Premium

   6   3:46pm Thu 11 Oct 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like (1)   Dislike   Protected   033 says 4) Why the hell would I ever, ever vote for any parcel tax or mill increase? Perhaps if you were a selfless patriot you could answer that question.

7. FortWayne Follow Befriend (13) 106 threads 3,863 comments

   7   3:49pm Thu 11 Oct 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   Most of the money goes to pay for the union obligations. Unions don't want to face the facts, the pension system was ran like a pyramid scheme. There is no money in it left, and it is now hurting schools and the children. And at least here in CA a lot of schools are overwhelmed with children from illegals or just poor who do not even pay any taxes at all. One of those things where there are more takers than there are payers into the system.

8. bmwman91 Follow Befriend (8) 38 threads 1,606 comments Mountain View, CA bmwman91's website Premium

   8   8:56pm Thu 11 Oct 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   Protected   033 says Why am I an ogre for paying secured property tax? The single mom with five children on WIC, 3 ELL, 2 IEP is not paying the same. yet she is never vilified as a moocher. Because political correctness. Unwed mothers are a protected class. Do not attempt to bring logic into any discussion on the topic.

9. 033 Follow Befriend 7 threads 63 comments

   9   10:33pm Thu 11 Oct 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   APIs across the board are correllated to race, to income, and possibly to special education. Saying any of this now is like saying you like communists in 1952. Well, it's not 1952. But just for a second here, let's pretend that today's McCarthyism doesn't exist. 1) Latinos are not a minority in California schools. They became the majority with the majority voice around 1998. Why is it not cool to ask the majority voice why the schools suck? 2) Free-lunch recipients are also not a minority. Anyone can look up what someone's property tax is and on what day they paid it--or didn't. But I'm not allowed to know who the 73 percent are making me pay $4/day in breakfast and lunch for each of their kid(s) plus $5,000/year for a failing school. I'm sick and angry of being treated as an ATM with no voice.

10. bmwman91 Follow Befriend (8) 38 threads 1,606 comments Mountain View, CA bmwman91's website Premium

    10   9:58am Fri 12 Oct 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike (1)   Protected   Cierre la boca. Me dan todo su dinero. Pinche gringos son nuestros esclavos.

11. bgamall4 Follow Befriend (14) 817 threads 2,811 comments 63 male Las Vegas, NV bgamall4's website Premium

    11   3:09pm Sat 13 Oct 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   Protected   033 says I'm sick and angry of being treated as an ATM with no voice. The alternative is a society of uneducated kids. I suppose your house value will go up if that happens. NOT.

12. 033 Follow Befriend 7 threads 63 comments

    12   1:23am Sun 14 Oct 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   Actually the real-life alternative is presently the Catholic school. I am bothered that kids have to go to Catholic school to get an education. Or win a district-wide lottery for the school they used to be ticketed for. Or move. Paying more taxes does not necessarily increase educational quality. If it did, then all SF schools would be great.