By Allen Payton

During their Wednesday, June 24, 2020 meeting, the Antioch School Board voted unanimously to approve the district’s 2020-21 fiscal year budget of $247.7 million. However, many changes to the district’s budget are expected based on the final negotiations between the governor and legislature, and the governor’s line item vetoes in the state budget. The school board will consider revisions in early August. (See the entire 224-page budget, here)

“We have the opportunity to adopt our budget even if the state hasn’t adopted theirs… we are obligated to meet our obligation by June 30,” said Deputy Superintendent Jessica Romeo. “If there is a budget adopted after we adopt ours, we do a 45-day revision to our budget. There are significant revisions from the May Revise. We will do that at the first meeting in August.”

According to the staff report, “The California Legislature met its constitutional deadline of passing the state budget on or before June 15, and it is anticipated that a budget will be signed by the Governor on or before June 30, 2020.”

However, “the Governor and the Legislature are negotiating the differences between the two plans, and it is currently expected that an agreement will be reached before the end of June.”

“We will maintain our mandatory reserve of 3.7%, and actually 3.8%,” Romeo stated. “I’m

The District’s Budget is comprised of eleven separate funds, the General Fund is the primary fund of the District AUSD Budget. The other 10 funds are Adult Education, Cafeteria Special Reserve, Deferred Maintenance, Building Fund, Capital Facilities, Special Reserve for Capital Outlay, Capital Projects Fund for Blended Component Units, Bond Interest and Redemption, Retiree Benefit Fund and Foundation Private-Purpose Trust fund.

However, the General Fund, which pays for all district employee salaries and benefits, is more than 83% of the budget and is divided into two parts. The Unrestricted portion is 56.59% of the AUSD Total Budget, and the Restricted portion makes up 27.34%.

“We’re just going to anticipate that this is going to change drastically,” Trustee Ellie Householder said.

“Yes,” responded Romeo.

The budget was adopted on a motion by Trustee Mary Rocha and second by Trustee Gary Hack, passing on a 5-0 vote by the board.

“Thank you to staff. It’s not over, yet,” Board President Diane Gibson-Gray said.

By Allen Payton

During their board meeting on Wednesday, June 24, 2020 the Antioch School Trustees learned of the three possible reopening plans for district schools for the next school year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. AUSD Reopening Plan 2020.21

“Every day we get new information either from the health department,” said Superintendent Stephanie Anello. According to “the governor’s budget, we may have to open in order to receive funding. That’s the information that came out, yesterday.”

Associate Superintendent for Educational Services Christine Ibarra offered the staff report on reopening. “I’m really happy to share what we’ve created this far,” she said. “There is an expectation that we reopen schools fully…with enhanced safety measures.”

Ibarra offered three possible reopening plans in her presentation to the board including hybrid, full distance and full return plans.

Hybrid: If AUSD is able to reopen with social distancing requirements restricting the number of students that can be on campus at any given time, AUSD is prepared to start the year with a model for face to face instruction and distance learning with students on modified schedules.

Full Distance: If, due to state or county restrictions, or a collective decision is made not to reopen our schools for modified in person instruction, AUSD is prepared to open with a revised and fully developed model for distance learning. This option will also be available for parent choice if we open with a hybrid model.

Full Return: If Contra Costa County Department of Public Health provides guidelines to allow schools to fully reopen safely, AUSD is poised to adjust accordingly. Likewise, if the need for school closure arises,we will be prepared for distance learning.

The district is also “considering staggered arrival and departure time. But that might be an inconvenience for families that have students in different grade levels in the schools,” Ibarra said.

Further actions will be taken to obtain parent and community feedback, professional development for teachers, learning loss programming, and parent training and messaging.

 

 

Beginning Monday, June 15, the Library will offer Front Door Service at 23 community libraries. The service will allow patrons to pick-up books, DVDs and audiobooks placed on hold through the Library’s website at ccclib.org.

Those patrons with holds on the shelf from early March, before the Health Order began, will have the opportunity to make appointments first. This is necessary to clear the thousands of holds currently on library shelves and make room for new holds. Those patrons will be contacted with instructions explaining how to make an appointment to pick up their materials. Appointments are encouraged, but not required. Those coming to the library without appointments may experience a wait.

New holds can be placed beginning on Thursday, June 18, and appointments will be open to any patron who wishes to pick up available holds. Patrons will be notified when their holds are ready. They will make an appointment at the appropriate location and schedule a pick-up time. Once at the library location, the patron will call or text the number on the sign at the front of the building. Staff will confirm the library card number and collect the items. Materials will be placed in a bag with the patron’s name on it and put on a table at the front door. It is a safe, contactless process.

“We are eager to reconnect with library users and take this important step toward reopening,” said County Librarian Melinda Cervantes. “Staff are taking every precaution to provide visitors with a safe, library experience.”

Front Door Service is available during regularly scheduled hours at 23 locations. See the full list of locations and hours here. All libraries will be closed on Sundays. Front Door Service will not be available at the Pinole, Pleasant Hill or Prewett locations until further notice.

For the safety of our patrons and staff, Library items will be quarantined for a minimum of 72 hours in between each use. Staff will wash their hands frequently, wear masks and observe social distancing protocols. Patrons approaching the front door should also wear a mask and observe social distancing guidelines. All returns should be placed in the book drop.

Stay tuned to ccclib.org for more information about how to use Front Door Service.

For questions about library services, contact staff via Chat, Monday – Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. or text questions to (925) 290-7627.

“I’m going to stand in solidarity with the employees” – Trustee Diane Gibson-Gray

By Allen Payton

In light of the recent layoffs to district classified staff, during the Antioch School Board meeting on Wednesday night, June 10, 2020, Board President Diane Gibson-Gray gave back her $10,800 in monthly stipend, and annual training and travel budget allocation, and suggested the board members do the same.

Each trustee receives $400 per month in stipend and annual travel and training budgets totaling $6,000 each.

“That would be $54,000 per year if we all do it,” she said.

“I’m not in agreement with that,” said Sawyer-White. “I have health care benefits for myself and my son. Other districts are considering cuts with administrators.”

She then mentioned wanting to complete governance training using her travel and training budget allocation.

“No one has completed governance training. There can be cuts, elsewhere,” Sawyer-White added.

“I’m just suggesting people volunteer. I’m going to do it on my own,” Gibson-Gray stated.

“This is kind of a tie back. This is why a budget study session would be important,” said Trustee Ellie Householder. “What impact $54,00 would have on the budget? I do not feel comfortable in doing that at this time.”

“When I put this on, we weren’t going to be in the position we’re going to be in June,” Gibson-Gray explained. “I’m just going to give mine back. I’m going to stand in solidarity if we’re unable to give employees raises.”

The board then moved on to other matters.

Approve Job Description for New Centralized Registration & Enrollment Technician

In other action, the board approved the job description of the new Centralized Registration and Enrollment Technician on a 4-1 split vote, with Trustee Crystal Sawyer-White voting against.

According to the staff report, the Centralized Registration/Enrollment Technician will assist parents/guardians and students with District programs, student assignment procedures and enrollment under the direction of a Director, Educational Services or other assigned administrator. The position will perform a variety of technical and specialized functions unique to the Centralized Enrollment Center.

The position will consolidate the responsibilities of all the school site registration and enrollment staff that were given layoff notices effective the end of July, due to the board’s vote at their last meeting on May 27, 2020. (See related article).

Sawyer-White was not happy with the creation of the new position and wanted the registrars for each school restored.

“It took my son over two hours to go through registration,” she complained. “We need the registrars back at the schools.”

To watch and listen to the complete Antioch School Board meeting on YouTube click here. For this discussion see the 2:09 mark of the video and item 11 of the meeting agenda by clicking here.

Repeals part of Proposition 13’s protections

By Allen Payton

During their meeting on Wednesday, June 10, 2020 the Antioch School Board unanimously passed a resolution without debate, supporting the California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act of 2020 on the November ballot. The measure would raise taxes on commercial and industrial property in California, repealing part of the tax protections in Proposition 13 that was passed by almost 63% of voters in 1978. (Read here or below: Resolution 2019-20-51 Schools and Local Communities Funding Act of 2020)

According to the non-profit, non-partisan Ballotpedia page on the measure, “Proposition 13 (1978) requires that residential, commercial, and industrial properties are taxed based on their purchase price. The tax is limited to no more than 1 percent of the purchase price (at the time of purchase), with an annual adjustment equal to the rate of inflation or 2 percent, whichever is lower.” UPDATE: As of July 1, 2020 Secretary of State Alex Padilla has assigned the measure the number of Proposition 15 on the November ballot.

Supporters are calling the protections for business property “loopholes” in the state’s tax system. According to Ballotpedia, “the ballot initiative would amend the state constitution to require commercial and industrial properties, except those zoned as commercial agriculture, to be taxed based on their market value” which is “known as split roll.”

Superintendent Stephanie Anello asked “the board to approve a resolution asking that the state fully fund education. As you know during difficult financial times, because our revenue is based on state revenue the schools are the first that are usually cut, that’s why you often see us revising our budget, which looks like we’re going to be doing in the next 45 days.”

“So, this is asking the legislature and the governor to consider Prop 98 not the floor, meaning the guarantee that was made to schools, that they would get at least that amount,” she continued. “It was never meant to be the ceiling. And what we find is that is often the ceiling. During difficult budget times, schools have to face difficult financial realities.”

Anello made no mention of Proposition 13 nor does the resolution.

Only one member of the public, Valerie Luke, submitted a comment on the matter, writing, “We are once again in a situation of fighting over scraps to try and meet the needs of our students. The funding system for our schools is deeply flawed and we’re always trying to figure out how to do more with less.”

“A coalition of education and community groups have been working many years on a solution to the education funding problem in California,” she continued. “Changing our tax code to eliminate loopholes that allow some big business from avoid paying property taxes will raise some $12 billion for our schools every year in our state.”

K-12 Schools & County Ed Offices Will Receive $2.67 to $4.1 Billion Annually If Passed

However, also according to Ballotpedia, schools would receive less than 40% of the estimated $7.5 to $12 billion generated from the tax increase. That’s because, “First, the revenue would be distributed to (a) the state to supplement decreases in revenue from the state’s personal income tax and corporation tax due to increased tax deductions and (b) counties to cover the costs of implementing the measure. Second, 60 percent of the remaining funds would be distributed to local governments and special districts, and 40 percent would be distributed to school districts and community colleges (via a new Local School and Community College Property Tax Fund).”

Ballotpedia further explains that “Revenue appropriated for education would be divided as follows: 11% for community colleges and 89% for public schools, charter schools, and county education offices. There would also be a requirement that schools and colleges receive an annual minimum of $100 (adjusted each year) per full-time student.”

Class Warfare Rhetoric in Resolution

The resolution uses class warfare rhetoric with statements such as, “the lack of adequate local funding is the result of an inequitable tax system in which corporations and wealthy investors do not pay their fair share in property taxes” and “loopholes in California’s property tax system allows a fraction of major commercial and industrial properties to avoid regular reassessment and use shady schemes to hide change in ownership”, as well as “these loopholes and tax schemes result in millions of dollars going to corporations and wealthy investors rather than to schools and local communities for essential services”

Householder Compares Facebook’s Property Taxes to Disney’s

Trustee Ellie Householder was the only member of the board to speak on the resolution, saying, “One of the things I find the most striking about this, when we’re talking about closing the corporate loophole…The thing that struck such a big chord with me, the fact that Disneyland…is paying property taxes on the value of that land in 1957 dollars.”

“So, you can imagine that a company like say Facebook that has just recently built a facility in the South Bay is paying a lot more property taxes than this multi-billion-dollar company,” she continued. “This is not going to increase taxes on individuals, but it’s just going to make sure that companies like the Disney Corporation give their fair share for schools.”

“With that I proudly make a motion to support the resolution,” Householder concluded.

Trustee Gary Hack seconded the motion and without any further discussion, it passed on a 5-0 vote.

Disneyland actually pays property taxes based on the value of its land in 1976 the base year stipulated in Prop. 13, plus the 2% maximum annual increase included in that ballot measure. Assuming it was increased by 2% every year since then, Disney is now paying property taxes based on almost 230% of the 1976 value of it’s property.

Facebook Founder & Wife Back Measure

Householder’s reference to Facebook’s property taxes may not be random, as one of the major funders of the Schools and Communities First campaign, leading the effort in support of the measure, is listed on its website as Chan Zuckerberg Advocacy. Also, according to the campaign’s website, it is “sponsored by a Coalition of Social Justice Organizations”.

The Chan Zuckerberg organization’s correct name is the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) and was formed by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, who are each listed as Co-Founder and Co-CEO. Among a variety of efforts, according to the CZI website, through the Reforming Policies & Practices, under their Advocacy efforts, they “work to shape policies that tangibly impact communities” and “raise awareness of key issues, support frontline organizations, and contribute to ballot and legislative measures.”

According to a one-page flier provided on the campaign’s website, the measure “Levels the playing field for all the businesses that already pay their fair share.” So, if it passes, Facebook’s older competitors in the state will have to pay the same property tax rate as the Zuckerbergs’ company does.

Opponents Of Measure Say It Will Hurt Jobs

Former state Director of Finance, Tom Campbell, one of the opponents of the measure warns, “In repealing Proposition 13 for businesses, California will be forfeiting our best argument to attract new jobs – a long-term sacrifice that will hollow-out California’s economy, costing us far more than $10 billion in a very short time.”

Commercial Property Tenant Rents Could Increase, Cause Decrease in Property Values

“It’s short-sighted,” said Aaron Meadows, the owner of commercial property and a property manager in Antioch, who commented after the board’s vote. “It’s going to be an additional cost to the corporation. It’s going to be passed on to the consumers. And the corporations are going to leave the state. We’re already losing headquarters. They’re leaving San Francisco and moving to Texas.”

“Why would their headquarters want to stay here?” he asked. “Why would Chevron want to stay here and keep their headquarters in San Ramon?”

“Commercial property managers will ask for reassessments if they get assessed to high,” Meadows continued. “They could potentially cause an assessment decrease, if the values aren’t keeping up.”

“In some commercial and retail buildings, property taxes are passed on to tenants as triple net,” he explained. “So, rents on the small business owner tenants will increase.”

“Plus, values will potentially decrease,” Meadows stated. “It might increase in the short term for property tax purposes. But, when we have to pass those additional taxes on to tenants, it could make it more difficult to lease the space, which reduces revenue resulting in the value of the property decreasing.”

An effort to reach Antioch Chamber of Commerce chairman Richard Pagano, to get the perspective of local businesses, was unsuccessful prior to publication time. In addition, following the meeting an email was sent to Anello asking if she wrote the resolution or for the source of it. Please check back later for any updates to this report.

WHEREAS, for four decades, school districts in California have experienced underinvestment and devastating cuts causing California’s school funding to fall behind and resulting in fewer services and resources for students and teachers;
WHEREAS, the lack of adequate local funding is the result of an inequitable tax system in which corporations and wealthy investors do not pay their fair share in property taxes;
WHEREAS, loopholes in California’s property tax system allows a fraction of major commercial and industrial properties to avoid regular reassessment and use shady schemes to hide change in ownership;
WHEREAS, these loopholes and tax schemes result in millions of dollars going to corporations and wealthy investors rather than to schools and local communities for essential services;
WHEREAS, experts estimate that the California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act reclaims $12 billion in property tax revenue every year to ensure that our schools and communities have the resources to educate all of our kids and the services to support all of our families;
WHEREAS, the California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act does not affect property taxes for homeowners or renters because the initiative exempts all residential property;
WHEREAS, academic researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) have identified that the vast majority of the reclaimed revenue will come from just a fraction of large properties;
WHEREAS, California schools are falling behind, ranking lowest in the nation with the largest number of students per teacher and the fewest counselors per student;
WHEREAS, per-pupil funding has declined from the top 10 in the nation to 39th;
WHEREAS, the top-ranked state spends $10,259 more per-pupil to educate their children than California spends;
WHEREAS, the measure invests up to $4 billion annually for K-14 schools to ensure that our kids receive the world-class education they deserve;
WHEREAS, California should be a leader in innovation by educating the next generation of students to compete in the global economy;
WHEREAS, the California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act guarantees funding to all school districts, over and above Proposition 98 funding, and following the local control funding formula to all students in need in all districts;
WHEREAS, the measure also provides billions in funding yearly for cities, counties, and special districts in locally controlled revenues for affordable housing, parks, libraries, emergency responders, health and human services, libraries, public infrastructure, and much more;
WHEREAS, the measure incentivizes the development of residential units and provides more funding for communities to invest in affordable housing;
WHEREAS, the measure provides new tax incentives to spur new investment in small businesses by eliminating the business personal property tax on equipment for California’s small businesses;
WHEREAS, the measure also exempts all small business owners whose property is worth $3 million or less;
WHEREAS, the measure levels the playing field for businesses that already pay their fair share in our communities;
WHEREAS, the California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act of 2020 is on the November 2020 ballot;
THEREFORE, be it Resolved, that the Antioch Unified School District endorses the California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act of 2020 for a ballot measure in November 2020.

By Leslie Reano and Antioch Police Department

“What a wonderful day today has been,” Lesli Reano an Instructional Aid for Special Needs with the Antioch Unified School District’s Community-Based Instruction program wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday, May 28, 2020. “Our AUSD CBI team had a parade for ALL our graduating young adults today. Our CBI teamed up and brought graduation signs, candy necklace and balloons to all 12 of our graduates. We then did a Graduation parade to each of their homes. The smiles that we saw from our students was priceless! We in CBI all want to thank our wonderful Police force for guiding us on our route to our kids’ homes! They went over and beyond! Thank you, Officer Calvin Prieto, Officer Andrea Rodriguez and Officer Ben Padilla you all were so fun, and your kindness will never be forgotten!! Thank you, Sergeant Smith for reaching out to Lieutenant Mendez and made this all happen. Shout out to our AUSD CBI Team!!!”

“Congratulations to our AUSD CBI graduates!!!” wrote the Antioch Police on their Facebook page. “APD was honored to be part of the graduation parade for the AUSD CBI program. The CBI Program, located on the Deer Valley High School campus, is a community-based instruction (CBI) program for 18- to 22-year-old students with special needs. The program is designed to assist students after earning their certificate of completion, transition into adult life, by helping them to become more independent within the community in the following four basic directions – Vocational Training, Community Access, Independent Living Skills, and Personal Development.

Please join us in congratulating these amazing graduates!”

The program also offers job coaching, Reano said.