Tax rates are being increased in the city's five lighting districts. Article discusses status of other tax rates and notes an increase of 9.2% in the total assessed valuation of all properties in Arcadia.
City Manager Lyman Cozad is assuming that there will be a 25% increase in assessed valuation which should make budgeting easier for 1976-77, but will not result in a lower tax rate.
Due to the increased property tax assessments throughout the State, the $1750 exemption will begin to disappear. This will hit lower income home owners hardest.
For the fourth year Arcadia property tax rate has been set at $.94 per $100.00 assessed valuation. This is the lowest it has been since 1914 when it was $.60 The highest rate was $1.98 in 1945.
Supervisor Schabarum joined with two other board members asking Assessor Alexander Pope to mail out property tax re-evaluation notices immediately so people will know before June 6 primary and they vote on Propositions 13 and 8.
There will be no summer school in the Arcadia Unified School District due to the passage of Proposition 13 limiting property taxes to 1 percent of the assessed valuation.
The Arcadia Tax Reform Committee will present signed petitions to the City Council re requested repeal of 3 ordinances levying assessments on street sweeping and sewer service, and an increase in the utility users' tax from 5% to 7%.
Although Arcadia students slipped in their 1983-84 California Assessment Program scores compared to their own performance last year, they still scored well above the average compared to schools statewide. According to figures released by the Arcadia School District and the State Department of Education, Arcadia students in grades 3, 6, 8 and 12 did well above average in all areas tested.
Increases in total attendance and total parimutuel handle, compared to last season, and a decline in daily average were in evidence in figures released after the November 16 close of the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park.
The Arcadia Unified School District's scores on the California Assessment Program went up in math for all grades this year, but down in reading in the 3rd and 6th grades, while 8th grade students showed an increase in reading. Other figures are also given in the article, as well as a chart of scores for each AUSD school on page A-2.
Local schools ranked in annual financial report compiled by the office of the Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools. Areas included: teacher/pupil ratio; assessed valuation; text book costs; etc.
City Council has renewed an examination of the admission tax Santa Anita pays compared to other race tracks. The track provided 34.1% of the city's total annual revenues in the fiscal year 1980-81. Traffic control costs in Arcadia are higher than in other cities with race tracks.