New Haven Parcel Tax Committee Kicks Off Campaign with a Strong Start

The committee backing Measure B, a , kicked off their campaign efforts Monday night at the , drumming up a significant amount of financial and voter support.

The campaign, which Executive Director Barbara Aro-Valle said would cost $50,000 to run, received a hefty start-up donation from the New Haven Teachers Association.

Charmaine Kawaguchi, president of the NHTA, presented the committee with a $17,000 check to kick-start the campaign. The Crowne Plaza hotel also contributed $1,000 for the cause.

“We only have one option and that’s to win,” Kawaguchi said.

The measure is a response to the Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed budget cuts that may result in a $4.1 million shortfall for New Haven, according to district spokesman Rick La Plante. The tax would help alleviate the budget cuts and provide local funding that can’t be taken by the state, according to the Measure B ballot statement.

More than 75 community members showed up to support and receive information about the measure, nicknamed “Taking Care of Our Kids.”

The tax–$180 per parcel–would generate $3 million a year for the next four years in order to preserve instructional time, maintain after-school activities and minimize class size increases. The $180 annual tax would equate to $15 a month and includes exemptions for seniors and disabled residents.

The measure will be placed on a May 3 special, mail-in only election. Ballots will be mailed to voters on April 4 and must be turned in by May 3, which leaves just over 80 days for the committee to campaign.

“We can not afford to sit on our backsides,” said committee chairman Richard Valle.

In a presentation prepared by the committee, Valle said that if the measure doesn’t pass, kindergarten through third grade class sizes would increase from 25 to 30 students, staff would be required to take five furlough days, the school year would be reduced by three days and stipends for extra-curricular programs would be eliminated.

“$15 buys you an education for your children,” Valle said, noting the monthly tax would be less than the cost of a movie ticket and snacks.

Among those in attendance at Monday night’s event were City Manager Larry Cheeves, Councilmember Lorrin Ellis and Union City Police Chief Greg Stewart, along with a number of district faculty members.

The committee will make a presentation at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting in hopes of winning an official endorsement from the city.

“It takes money to save co-curriculars, maintain class sizes and ensure kids go to school 180 days,” said New Haven superintendent Kari McVeigh on Monday night.

McVeigh said she had only heard “sorry excuses” from those who oppose the measure. She said her office had only received three phone calls from concerned community members, two of who were senior citizens and were swayed to vote “Yes” after learning about the exemption for seniors.

According to the Alameda County Registrar of Voters, there were just over 30,000 registered voters in Union City at the time of last November’s elections.

The measure needs a two-thirds majority vote to pass. Campaign consultant Bonnie Moss said during Monday night’s meeting that she expects no more than 13,000 people to vote. Moss works for consulting firm Tramutola and Associates, which helped the city pass Measure UU and has handled numerous campaigns nationwide.

Committee members also called for the support of students. Kawaguchi said they would make voter registration forms available at and for those who have recently turned 18 or will reach the voting age prior to the special election.

As a strategic effort, no campaign signs will be made. Not only is this to save costs but also because signs often serve as a reminder to opposition to vote against campaigns, Valle said.

“We need to take care of our kids,” Valle said. “Nobody’s going to do it for us, not in Washington, not in Sacramento.”

Measure B meetings will be held every Monday at 5:30 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel for the duration of the campaign.