Education and city boosters cheered the news, Tuesday night, that a
tax to bring badly needed funds to local schools and for vital city services won a
landslide of voter support and will go into effect April 1st.
The tax, Proposition Y, will add a half percent to the existing sales tax. Under a
companion measure, Proposition YY, half of the estimated $12 million generated
annually will go to Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Schools and the other half to vital city
services.
Voters passed Proposition “Y” by a margin of 61 percent to 39 percent. “YY” won 68% of the ballots cast.
“This is a win for our students and for our community,” said Tom Larmore co-chair of the
Proposition Y+YY campaign. “Everyone in Santa Monica benefits from great schools
and safe neighborhoods. They make Santa Monica one of the most desirable places to
live in the state and in the nation.”
“This is a recognition of what an amazing community we live in here in Santa Monica,”
said Shari Davis, co-chair of the Proposition Y+YY campaign and president of the Santa
Monica-Malibu PTA Council. "We have a unique partnership between SMMUSD, City
Hall and our businesses that reflects the values of our residents."
“Prop Y gives residents another important reason to support local merchants – buy local,
support our schools and our city,” Larmore added.
At a half-cent per dollar, proponents said that Proposition Y will cost residents about the
same as one latte a month and that half of all Proposition Y revenues will be paid by
visitors and other non-residents who shop in Santa Monica.
Rent, groceries, gas, prescriptions, medical care or equipment, any purchases made
with food stamps, utilities, and all services are exempt from sales tax and thus
Proposition Y.
The propositions were supported by a broad and historic coalition from throughout the
community, including: renters, homeowners, neighborhood groups, small business
owners, the Santa Monica-Malibu Teachers Association, the Santa Monica Police
Officers Association, the Santa Monica Firefighters Association, the PTA, Santa
Monicans for Renters' Rights, Santa Monica College and the League of Women Voters
of Santa Monica.
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