Schools in Santa Clarita Asked to Meet Over Tax
Santa Clarita Valley high school trustees said Tuesday night that the area’s five school districts may have to ask voters to approve a special tax to build new schools.
Trustees of the William S. Hart Union High School District unanimously called for a joint meeting with trustees of the valley’s four elementary school districts to discuss the tax proposal.
Hart officials, particularly Supt. Clyde Smyth, have said a tax on residents to build schools in the rapidly growing valley would have little chance of success. But Tuesday night, Smyth and trustees said the valley’s schools must explore every funding possibility because it is unlikely that sufficient construction funds will be available from Sacramento.
The Hart trustees said they plan to meet with supporters of a separate tax measure aimed at raising money for new roads. That proposal would raise annual property-tax bills between $75 and $200.
The school districts have no idea how much they would seek in a tax election.
The Santa Clarita City Council agreed Feb. 1 to place the road tax on the Nov. 7 ballot. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors must also agree to put the measure before the public because the tax would involve unincorporated portions of the Santa Clarita Valley.
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