Reader's Poll: A New School Parcel Tax?

The Emery School District is in fiscal trouble owing to state cutbacks and dropping enrollment so the District has begun laying off teachers and other drastic cuts to its operating expenses to make up for its budget shortfall.  Two years ago, Emeryville voters passed Measure J, a $95 million bond (not including financing) for a new schools and community center called the Center of Community Life.  The District is planning on abandoning the newly remodeled Anna Yates Elementary School and sending those children over to the Center of Community Life with the high school kids; a costly option.
If the District agreed to not spend the entire $95 million voters approved in 2010, perhaps voters now would agree to vote for a new parcel tax to help with the operating expenses.  It could be revenue neutral, meaning taxpayers would not be spending more than they agreed to two years ago, essentially a funding shift from the building of facilities to essential operational expenses.


Tattler readers have a chance to weigh in on this for themselves in a reader's poll.  Please consider voting in the poll.  It's located in the right hand column at the top.

Should Anna Yates Elementary School Be Closed?

Tattler Reader Poll

The Emery Unified School District and City Hall want to close down Anna Yates Elementary School and move all the children over to the Emeryville Center of Community Life and its proposed Kindergarten through 12th grade single school campus.
Detractors say the taxpayers only just completed a nearly $9 million remodel of the existing school and that Anna Yates is a wonderful asset that shouldn't be shut down.

Tattler readers can vote for themselves.  On the right hand side bar is a new Tattler feature; an informal reader's poll.  Please feel free to cast your vote on this contentious school closing scheme.  This poll will be up for two weeks.