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Tell TUHSD Board: Vote NO on Hiring Tax Measure Campaign Strategist Whitehurst/Mosher
Doherty Drive
Larkspur
6:00 PM PT
Tell TUHSD Board:
"Vote NO on Hiring Tax Measure Campaign Strategist Whitehurst/Mosher"
W/M's expressed aim to "neutralize opposition" is unacceptable to taxpayers. An operating deficit reduction plan should be urgent priority -- before spending on more consultants to advance muddled tax measures.
Tamalpais Union High School District (TUHSD) trustees will vote Tuesday August 8 on signing a contract with a "campaign strategist" for (1) a proposed $450 million bond measure in 2018 and (2) a possible parcel tax -- of size not yet determined -- in 2020 to cover rising operating expenses.
Contracting Whitehurst/Mosher means committing taxpayer funds to a consultant whose explicit plan to "neutralize opposition" conflicts with the purported objective of developing a community consensus. Moreover, hiring a campaign consultant is premature: the board has not determined whether its most urgent need is addressing its operating deficit (possibly involving a parcel tax) or further advancing plans for an up to $450 million bond offering to substantially reconfigure three major high school campuses: Redwood, Tamalpais, and Drake.
The rationale for rushing to sign the W/M contract is an enrollment surge -- that's overstated and transitory.
Now is the time to learn more and to let the board know what you think.
Each step of the process adds to the sunk cost and inertial momentum toward tax measures that seem likely to fail owing to taxpayer fatigue and influential columnist Dick Spotswood's call to JUST VOTE NO on all new taxes on the 2017-18 Marin ballots.
ACTIONS:
Attend upcoming board meetings and speak during public comment:
Tuesday August 8 - Agenda includes approval of contract with Whitehurst/Mosher as campaign strategist for bond and/or parcel tax measures. Hiring the strategist would continue forward momentum toward a potential $450 million bond measure to fund major campus overhauls and/or a parcel tax for rising operating expenses.
TUHSD meetings start at 6PM
Location: Kreps Conference Room (Redwood HS), Dougherty Dr., Larkspur
Email TUHSD directors with your thoughts about signing a tax campaign strategist contract; and contemplated bond and parcel tax measures:
Laura Anderson, President: landerson@tamdisrict.org
Leslie Lundgren, Clerk: llundgren@tamdistrict.org
Barbara Owens, Director: bowens@tamdistrict.org
Michael Futterman, Director: mfutterman@tamdistrict.org
Chuck Ford, Director: cford@tamdistrict.org
Organization: CO$T
Website: http://www.costmarin.org