They’re calling this latest raid on the taxpayers’ pocketbook Measure E. And that’s appropriate, since the next sound you hear if this thing doesn’t pass may be “eeeeeeee” as the budget ax continues to fall on our struggling public schools.

The conventional wisdom in Davis has always been to vote “Yes” on any school measure that comes our way. As a result, some pass by wide margins, some by “comfortable” margins and some by slim margins, but all pass. No margin would ever be slim but for the fact these measures need two-thirds approval to pass. Thus, 33.4 percent of the electorate can control the other 66.6 percent. So much for the will of the people.

The opposition to these things, while not insignificant, is traditionally silent. No one wants to attack the public schools or appear to not support the kids who attend them. Over and over, we hear the No. 1 reason people move to Davis is “the schools.” No one ever dreamed things could get this grim for public education in the state of California or especially in a city like ours.

We’ll all get our chance to vote on Measure E come November, and unlike other stand-alone school measures, this one will be piggybacked onto a presidential election, congressional races and several state propositions certain to bring a large voter turnout. No one has yet figured out whether high voter turnout favors of hurts measures like this, but that’s what we’re dealing with.

The actual ballot language is posed as a question, one we are expected to answer “yes” or “no.” No “write-in” options are available. In other words, you can’t say “I’ll vote ‘yes’ only if the superintendent agrees to take a 50 percent pay cut and the high school football team wins at least six games.”

The full language, which could easily win a World’s Longest Run-On Sentence contest, asks: “To offset the continued loss of significant state funding, shall the Davis Joint Unified School District be authorized to continue a special tax for a period of 4 years not to exceed the base annual rate of $20.00 per dwelling unit for multi-dwelling parcels and $204.00 per parcel for all other parcels, and levy up to an additional $242.00 to cover State funding shortfalls ONLY if the November 2012 Temporary Taxes to Fund Education initiative does not pass?”

In other words, we have a contingency built upon a contingency, which may or may not even be legal. The wording is also confusing enough that it could easily be challenged in court as misleading.

Fortunately, the sample ballot will feature arguments against Measure E and arguments in favor of Measure E, for those of us who are confused about the whole process.

The loyal opposition, led as always by the two people who are willing to publicly speak out against school funding measures, Jose Granda and Tommy Randall, claims the measure is “deceptive and unethical.”

Granda is a Sac State professor and school board candidate, while Randall is the town’s only Republican. Watch the GOP convention in Tampa closely tonight and you may be able to see Tommy’s smiling face.

This fearsome twosome notes that “Measure E will exempt wealthy seniors from paying the tax, but wants their votes to help pass the measure, forcing someone else to pay.”

They’re half right. It actually allows an exemption for all seniors, wealthy or otherwise. But it’s not automatic. You have to qualify for the exemption (over 65) and you have to apply for the exemption in a timely fashion.

I know wealthy seniors who take the exemption and I know not-so-wealthy seniors who don’t take the exemption.

But, just like the mashed-potatoes-and-meat loaf Early Bird Special at Denny’s, there are no questions asked, other than age.

Many seniors in our community, based on their successes in life and the fact that they burned their mortgages long ago, are much more capable of paying this tax than others who are under 65. Then again, many seniors are on fixed incomes and could pay this tax only with great difficulty.

It’s ageism, pure and simple, and it’s clearly a “bribe” of sorts to gain a “yes” vote from someone who won’t be affected, but it’s likely to remain on the books until someone is bold enough to start aggressively attacking seniors.

I wouldn’t count on that happening any time in the next century.

— Entries to the Contest to Replace the Above Pictured Columnist are due by midnight Monday (yes, an extension has been granted to all procrastinators). Essays may be about any subject and should be between 400 and 800 words long. Entries should be emailed to [email protected]

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