Why do I care about the Davis Joint Unified School District’s ongoing campaign to stop school closures?
Frankly, beyond having an opinion like many others in our community, I didn’t. Until the District failed to honor a written commitment made to Palomino Place, LLC regarding new school construction fees.
Then, we were prepared to pay approximately $1.5 million in new school fees required. However, while the District was considering imposing nearly $1 million in additional fees, the Superintendent provided written confirmation that Palomino Place homeowners would not be charged these new fees. Relying on that commitment, I guaranteed the builders’ school fees accordingly.
Six months later, after the legal deadline to challenge implementation of the new fee passed, the District reversed its written commitment to me.
The resulting litigation required me to work closely with my attorneys to examine the District’s historical data, public statements, financial records, enrollment projections, and its fee justifications. That research raised issues beyond our dispute:
- Why impose fees that state law limits to the construction of new schools when the District does not need additional schools? It has a surplus.
- Why continue operating two elementary schools and with the associated financial drain of District resources when enrollment data and projections do not support keeping them open?
- How are parcel-tax revenues being used, and to what extent are Davis parents and other taxpayers subsidizing services for students who don’t live here and whose parents do not pay our parcel taxes; taking resources away from our Davis students?
The documents presented on this website are intended to allow Davis parents, homeowners, and taxpayers to examine these issues for themselves.
Finally, what’s really driving all the District’s decisions? Better quality of education for Davis children or supporting the Bureaucracy and those who personally financially benefit by these decisions.
More at: https://unlockdsddoors.com/
paid for by David Taormino
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