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Santa Barbara Independent endorses Measure V |
Santa Barbara Independent
Measure V: Yes
May 22, 2008 Measure V would generate $77 million in local revenues for Santa Barbara City College, perhaps the South Coast’s most vital educational institution. In exchange, the State of California has pledged to match that amount with $92 million out of its own coffers. The money will be spent largely on much-needed repairs and maintenance for existing SBCC classrooms and buildings. Measure V will increase South Coast property taxes by only $8.50 per $100,000 of assessed real estate value.
Nearly $17 million will be spent fixing up the historic but ailing Schott Center; another $15 million will keep the Wake Center functioning. These two structures constitute one of the finest adult education programs on the planet. In addition, $9.3 million from Measure V will be spent on a new building for SBCC’s flourishing media arts program and allow its old space to go to the now overcrowded nursing, culinary arts, and automotive technology departments. Seventy percent of SBCC’s nearly 19,000 students hail from South Coast schools. And they deserve all our support.
As a matter of political consideration, Measure V needs 55 percent of the vote in order to be approved. Given the exceedingly low turnout expected for the June 3 election, that threshold might be harder to achieve than it otherwise would be. That makes your vote all the more essential. Measure V has been endorsed by the local Democratic and Republican parties, four chambers of commerce, and even the Santa Barbara County Taxpayers Association, which traditionally opposes anything remotely resembling a tax increase.
The Indy article on the news conference is here, entitled Measure V Gaining Momentum.