SEIU Members Help Pass Parcel Tax
A Boost for Cupertino Schools
Who likes taxes? The good working SEIU families of Cupertino Union School District do, and they spoke with their ballots.
Measure B, to allow the district to authorize an annual $125 education parcel tax for six years, was approved by 70 percent of the voters in the special May 5 election. A two-thirds approval was needed to pass.
The measure is projected to bring in about $4 million annually for six years. The goal of the cash infusion is to help retain and train teachers; preserve art, music and other programs; and maintain campus safety.
It's huge for us. It's going to allow us to maintain class-size reduction levels that we have and in addition keep 60 to 65 people employed,
said Pat King, Chapter Chairperson of Cupertino Union School District, SEIU Local 521. We're definitely super-appreciative that the elected leaders of our Local approved and supported the measure with a $10,000 contribution. Everyone needs to realize how important COPE really is. If COPE didn't exist, SEIU wouldn't have been able to give us the contribution, which went straight to the YES On MEASURE B campaign.
In an e-mail sent to supporters, many of them SEIU members who worked phone banks and knocked on doors on behalf of Measure B, Phyllis Vogel, Cupertino Union School District Board Member and Co-Chair of the parcel tax campaign said:
Passing Measure B is so exciting, I can't get my feet back on the ground. Passing with 70% exceeded all of our expectations. All of our hard work paid off, and we will save jobs and programs - all of which will benefit Cupertino kids.
Said King, who has worked as a trades lead and locksmith for the district for 23 years: We had excellent participation from our SEIU workers, weeks of phone banking and door knocking, and it made a difference.
In the press:
Measure B and Montclaire School
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_12314429
Measure B passes on Election Night
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12303561
Six Bay Area School Districts Pass Parcel Taxes, Despite Economy
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/05/BA1917EUVD.DTL