Once upon a time, California schools, K through college, were, in the words of New York Times man Max Frankel, “the eighth wonder of the world.” Frankel was not given to hyperbole = especially about California. Not only were they first-rate academically, they were accessible at all levels, no matter how modest a student’s means were. .California perfected public education, but Governor Ronald Reagan’s assaults on UC Berkley and celebration of greed fueled smiling Howard Jarvis’s campaign to win the support of the mindless and the selfish for prop 13. For 30 years, prop 13 has worked like a bulldozer on the state’s revenue and aspirations. And for 30 years our brave leaders have chosen to cheat the most vulnerable = children, the poor, the elderly, the sick, rather than adopting a rational, fair tax code. Like all school pp districts, the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District has suffered major cuts in state funding. If we do not approve the parcel tax that is now before us, our children will suffer major curriculum cuts. Vote YES on Prop A, mail your ballot promptly and henceforth don’t vote for anyone who doesn’t support total tax reform . .