STUART PALMITER
OCCUPATION: Police Officer
OCCUPATIONAL BACKGROUND: Physics/Math teacher, high school
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: B.S. Physics, University of Portland. Master of Arts, Teaching, Lewis & Clark University
PRIOR GOVERNMENTAL EXPERIENCE: Past President PTA, East Gresham Grade Sch.; Central SD Budget Committee
Gresham-Barlow S.D. is doing a good job with the resources available. We are obtaining better student achievement at a lower per student cost than David Douglas and Reynolds S.D. I applaud and support the work of our teachers, staff, and administration.
What needs to be changed is the funding formula. As a member of the school board, I will advocate that we act as a leader to make the changes necessary to support our schools—not merely here in Gresham-Barlow, but state-wide. How?
The principle change must be a change in the property tax system while keeping the basic premise of not taxing people out of their homes. Instead of a wholesale repeal of the Measure 5 (and subsequent laws) property tax laws, what we need to do is enact a homestead property tax exemption system, while increasing the amount and rate of property taxes paid by business. When we passed the property tax measures that have reduced local support of our schools to 2%, we did it on the emotional appeal of not forcing families out of their homes. But what we really did was decrease businesses share of the support for our schools.
Home owners can be secure by creating an homestead exemption so that no one will be taxed out of their home—ever, while asking large land owning businesses to pay their fair share to educate tomorrow's workforce.
If I am elected to the school board, I will act as a leader to return sanity to our financial formula while ensuring that families are protected—in their homes and in providing the education they need to prosper. We have the school district that can achieve the educational end of the equation. Now we need leadership to provide the financial equation.
(This information furnished by Stuart Palmiter)
The above information has not been verified for accuracy by Multnomah County.