What a long, strange spring.
One week on from the final vote count, I wanted to give a huge shout out to the hundreds and hundreds and hundreds (likely over 1000) of volunteers who helped make the effort such a success, even if the measure didn’t pass.
Rules are rules, and we knew them going in, so I won’t complain about Measure E just barely missing the 2/3 vote mark. But I’ll happily point out that the embarrassing and shameful, No on E campaign can’t be happy about their “victory.” First a little perspective on the vote.
Measure E got 2500 more Yes votes than Measure H did, but lost very little ground in the results. The APLUS campaign turned out voters at 2 to 1 to the no side, in the worst economy in generations, with a proposed parcel tax that was over twice the amount of the current one. There’s no shame in the effort that created this result. Volunteers need to hold their disappointed heads up high.
Put another way, more people voted “Yes on E” than voted No on Measure B, the Alameda Point ballot initiative. Just because it needs to be put in perspective, more people in Alameda voted to double their school parcel tax in order to support our schools than voted against what is being called “the greatest electoral loss in Alameda History.” What does this mean? It means that Alamedans support our schools, and are willing to pay to do it. Again, heads held high!
The coming months are going to be painful and the fractures are being seen. While I personally dreamed of being able to hand the reins of the District over to those who fought Measure E, saying “you’ve obviously got all the bright ideas, now it’s your turn.” I didn’t actually think that there were any real ideas from the opposition, just a republican-like “no!”
To this point, Board member Trish Herrera Spencer, the only Board member to oppose the parcel tax, is now surprised to find that the impacts are exactly what “Yes on E” supporters said they would be. Ms. Herrera Spencer is now stoking divisive east/west issues around school closures, rather than working to pull the community together on a path forward. This is not the path we should be following and I hope that School Supporters will temper their disappointment and avoid looking for blame in the tiny handful of people who funded the embarrassing and shameful Committee Against Measure E. It should be enough to know that while they managed to subvert the will of 66% of Alameda voters, they lost more than a little bit of their soul in doing so.
School supporters need to breath deep, accept the loss and come together to find a path forward for AUSD that doesn’t require dismantling our education system. Time and energy spent hating on “evil businesses” etc. while understandable, in terms of the frustration we all feel, is energy wasted. New bridges need to be built, the School Board is going to need support in the coming months as difficult decisions are made. We need to support our local businesses, just like we need to support our local schools.
Personally, I’m taking a couple of weeks off from thinking of schools and school policy. I think that there are thousands of folks who probably need a recharge of their batteries. I am heartened by the energy and enthusiasm that is flying around the internet. Alameda is blessed to have such an engaged, intelligent, compassionate community. Thanks to everyone who worked on the APLUS, Yes on E campaign, you were astounding and amazing, and I hope to have the privilege to work alongside you again soon.
John, Welcome back to Stop Drop and Roll.
As an old native I think you young folks did a superb job of fighting for your children’s schools. I agree with everything you have said about being positive in moving forward. However in politics one has to pay for ones transgressions. This means Ms. Spencer is going to have to pay at the ballot box when the time comes. She has been vindictive, and that will catch up to her.
As a senior citizen I am very proud of APLUS, and will support you even if it means that I will have to give up some golf days in the future to pay for “OUR” schools.