Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends and supplements statutes related to property taxes and public school funding, including, but not limited to, increasing the minimum basic tax rate that school districts are required to impose, repealing the authority of school boards to impose various property taxes, and specifying how the revenue generated by the increase in the minimum basic tax rate shall be distributed.

Highlights:

-Amends the minimum basic tax rate that school districts are required to impose, so as to provide for a increase, as follows (Sec. 18):

-Existing law: property tax levy that generates $260.73 million in revenue statewide; and -New law: property tax levy that generates an amount of revenue equal to the certified revenue levy, as defined below.

-Relies upon the definition of "certified revenue levy" provided by existing law, meaning an amount of property tax revenue that is equal to the sum of the following (Sec. 18):

-The amount of property tax revenue generated in the previous year from imposing the minimum basic tax rate; and -The product of the minimum basic tax rate for the previous year and new growth in the taxable value of real property and personal property over the previous year.

-Requires school districts and the legislature to reduce their annual allocation to charter schools by an amount that depends upon how much revenue is generated by an increase in the minimum basic tax rate beginning with fiscal year 2011-2012 (Sec. 5). -Requires the Legislature, beginning with fiscal year 2011-2012, to annually allocate the revenue derived from increasing the minimum basic tax rate as follows (Sec. 18):

-First, to charter schools to offset a school district's reduced annual allocation to charter schools, as provided by this Act; -Second, to charter schools to offset the Legislature's reduced annual allocation to charter schools, as provided by this Act; and -Third, to increase the weighted pupil unit dollar amount, which is the unit of measure calculated for the purpose of determining the costs of a program, currently set at $2,577 for the basic state-supported school program.

-Authorizes local school boards to impose a tax of up to 0.0012 per dollar of taxable value for the purpose of funding the school district's general fund beginning January 1, 2010 (Sec. 21). -Increases the maximum tax rate that may be imposed by local school boards for the purpose of funding the school district's capital projects from 0.0024 per dollar of taxable value to 0.003 per dollar of taxable value beginning January 1, 2010, and retains the requirement that school boards located in a first class counties levy this tax at a rate of at least 0.0006 per dollar of taxable value (Secs. 23 & 29). -Repeals the authority of school boards to levy the following property taxes (Sec. 29):

-Special tax, subject to a special election and not to exceed 0.2 percent of the taxable value of all taxable property, for the purpose of purchasing building sites, building and furnishing school houses, or improving the school property under its control; -Special tax for the purpose of paying for a judgment obtained against the board or to pay warrants if there are no existing funds for the payment of warrants by the board to refund taxes; -Tax rate not to exceed 0.004 per dollar of taxable value to maintain a school program above the cost of the basic school program, primarily for a class size reduction within the school district, but also for other purposes as authorized by the board; -Increase of a school districts tax rate by up to 10 percent of the cost of the basic program for the purpose of debt service, the construction or remodeling of school buildings, or the purchase of school sites, buses, equipment, textbooks, and supplies; and -Tax rate of up to 0.00121 per dollar of taxable value for the purpose of funding the school district's K-3 Reading Improvement Program.

-This is a substitute bill sponsored by Rep. Sheryl Allen.

Full Bill Text