By Jeff Hudson
Enterprise staff writer
The Davis Enterprise

The Davis school district's November ballot measure has a name, and two new campaign co-chairs, Janet Berry and Judy Davis.

The ballot measure — a proposed parcel tax that would cost local homeowners $120 per year, supporting science and music programs, foreign language classes and more — has been dubbed Measure W by Yolo County Clerk Freddie Oakley.

The measure will be on the Nov. 4 ballot, which also will include presidential candidates, state ballot propositions, and races for state Assembly, state Senate and Congress.

Berry is a mother of children in Davis schools. As president of the Davis Schools Foundation, she played a prominent role in last spring's "Dollar a Day" campaign to save teachers' jobs. Davis retired in June as principal of North Davis Elementary School, where she served from 1992 to 2008. She began teaching in Davis in the early 1970s.

Measure W is proposed to last for three years, charging $120 per year for single-family homes, and $50 per unit for apartments and other multi-unit dwellings.

It is designed to provide funding for elementary science programs; reduced class size in ninth- and 10th-grade English and ninth-grade math; foreign language classes; music classes; physical education programs; school librarians; and co-curricular programs like drama, debate and journalism.

This list virtually duplicates the list of programs supported by this spring's Dollar a Day fund drive by the Davis Schools Foundation, which raised $1.7 million in donations, heading off the possible layoff of dozens of local teachers due to cuts in education funding by state government.

"The purpose of the measure is to decrease the likelihood and/or magnitude of layoffs in the event of further state budget cuts," according to the ballot text for Measure W.

The school board is scheduled to hear a 30-minute presentation about Measure W when it meets Thursday in the Community Chambers at City Hall, 23 Russell Blvd. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. and is open to the public. It also will be broadcast live on Davis cable television Channel 17.

In an effort to draw voters' attention to local school district issues, backers of Measure W have signed on Berry and Davis as volunteer co-chairs of the campaign.

"It has been my great honor to be associated with Davis schools for many years," Davis said in a news release. "It is the involvement of parents, volunteers and the extraordinary commitment of our entire community that has made Davis public schools what they are today.

"However," she added, "it is really important for people to understand that state funding for schools is dropping, and that there is a genuine gap between the cost of educating our students and funds from the state. It is up to us to bridge the gap.

"At stake is the range of diverse educational programs that are offered today," Davis said. "Preserving quality will be determined by a vote yes or no on Measure W. It is really that simple."

Added Berry in the news release, "The immediate future for education funding in this state is at best unclear. Additional cuts are likely but no one knows with certainty at this time.

"What we do know from our collective experience this past spring is that people in Davis care about children," Berry said. "People in Davis are committed to public education. And they are willing to support important programs and teachers in all our schools.

"What we learned during this period is that there is a structural budget problem in the district and we heard over and over that people expected a structural solution, like a parcel tax," Berry said. "That's what Measure W is about and why I'm personally involved in the campaign. Voting yes for Measure W will provide the long-term protection for the classroom programs we saved this spring."

Davis school board trustee Gina Daleiden said "Janet and Judy have both demonstrated extraordinary leadership in their commitment to Davis schools and protecting educational opportunities in our community. We are really fortunate to have them involved in our community effort."