I’d like to start off this month with an important project for the neighborhood, recent articles have expressed the dire circumstances our schools are in and the fact that teachers are being displaced to insure funds are available for needed services. Here is a way we can all help:

Dear Friends of Cubberley:

Our 2007 Silent Auction dinner party was a huge success for Cubberley’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA)! We generated over $6,800 for our much-needed student programs. This year’s event is scheduled for April 25th, and will reach the families and school staff of our 1,100 K-8 students.

Cubberley’s PTA is committed to providing an enriched experience to our students through the following programs: Cub of the Month, Honor Roll, Literature Club, Meet the Masters Art Program, On-Line Newsletter, Reading Club and Red Ribbon Week. These programs encourage our students to reach their own personal excellence and to discover their maximum potential as a citizen of our community.

We depend on your help. We’re asking for your donation of products and/or services to be auctioned off at our event, which are tax deductible as allowed by law. We are also offering sponsorship, advertising and underwriting opportunities as listed on the attached page. In addition to advertising at the event, we will post a thank you to our participating businesses in our on-line newsletter, the Cubberley Connection, which reaches nearly 500 local households. Your generosity will make a powerful difference in the lives of our kids.

If you have any questions, or to coordinate the pick-up of product and/or service donations, please e-mail Amy Becker at abecker@clubztutoring.com. You may also contact the Cubberley PTA at 562-420-8810.

Please send correspondence to:

Silent Auction Donations Chairperson.

3200 Monogram Avenue
Long Beach, CA 90808

Again, we truly appreciate your generosity and support for our community.

Sincerely,
Silent Auction Committee

Supporting our schools activities is important not only to families with children, currently in school, but also critical for we who have grown children. Keeping our schools and libraries in top condition is the key maintaining strong, healthy neighborhoods. The payback is a safe environment and ever increasing property values.

This might be a good time, if you have any to spare, to call a school in the area and volunteer some time. I understand that many services are needed, depending on the school, from reading, tutoring, library aides, nursing to gardening. Call and find out if there is any way you can help.

Speaking of property values, I found it interesting to read that the LA County Tax Assessor planned to review the appraised value of property throughout the county, sold during the 2004 through 2007 time period, and adjust taxes to help those affected by the decreases seen in value this last year.

I have always been an avid proponent of Propositions 8 & 13 which in my mind saved many people from losing their homes due to ever increased taxation during the late seventies. I know many people blame our problems with funding schools, libraries, parks and infrastructure, on the reduced income from property taxes. But we have always had the means to provide added revenue through the legislative process, it just meant that our local and state officials would have to clearly explain the need and justify the expense, something our elected officials have always had problems doing. Many think it impossible to get 2/3 of our citizens to agree on anything, I think they are wrong, if given a clear picture of a problem and a guarantee that additional taxes will be used to fix the problem, with equally clear substantiation of the results, our citizenry will do the right thing. In any case, when I hear re-assessment, my ears perk up. We have always had the right to request re-evaluation of our property value, but it carried with it the caveat, once prices start to increase the county has the right to re-assess those properties in the future, which could mean even higher taxes down the road. I went to the Tax Assessors website and found the following article on the county’s plan, and thought many in the neighborhood might be interested.

“It has been widely reported that the property values of single-family homes and condominiums throughout most of the State have been declining. While the declines in Los Angeles County have not been as dramatic as those in other parts of the State, property values have dropped in some areas of Los Angeles County.

How does this impact your property taxes? In 1978, California voters passed Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment that allows a temporary reduction in assessed value when a property suffers a “decline-in-value.” A decline-in-value occurs when the current market value of your property is less than the assessed value as of January 1.

Typically, an application is required to initiate a review of your property’s value by the Assessor. However, in 2008 the Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office will be proactive in reviewing those single-family homes and condominiums that were purchased between July 1, 2004 and June 30, 2007. We will look at sales of comparable properties that sold near the lien date, January 1, 2008. If the market value is less than the assessed value, indicated on your 2007-08 tax bill, the assessed value will be reduced accordingly. An application will not be necessary.

We will complete this review by June 30, 2008 and will notify in writing those property owners who qualify for a reduction in the assessed value of their property. Applications will be accepted prior to June 30, 2008, but if you purchased your home between July 1, 2004 and June 30, 2007, we urge you to wait for notification from our office before filing. Should it be necessary, you will have until December 31, 2008 to file an application for review.

If the sale date of your property is not within the dates noted or is other than a single family home or condominium, it will not be included in the review. However, if you believe the assessed value of the property shown on the 2007-08 tax bill is more than the fair market value as of January 1, 2008, you may file an application at any time through December 31, 2008.

We are aware of at least one private company that did a mass mailing to property owners offering their services to pursue a reduction in their property taxes. Specifically, they are seeking to file an assessment appeal on the property owner’s behalf. While there is no initial fee charged for the filing of an appeal, if a reduction is granted, this particular company will receive 45% of the amount of the tax savings for the next two years. We expect other private companies to offer similar services for a fee or a percentage of any tax savings.

Solicitations of this type may not be illegal, but property owners should be aware that the Assessor’s Office provides a simple filing process for a reduction in their property taxes at no charge.”

I have helped neighbors in the area considering such action and am always available to help as best I can, call me if you have any questions.

It has also come to my attention that there are several firms advertising help, for a fee, to homeowners facing foreclosure due to inability to pay increasing variable rate loan payments, Please call me for a free consultation before taking action of this kind! I can be of help and there is never a charge.

How about this the AQMD is sponsoring a lawn mower exchange, for $100 you can trade you old gas mower for a new $400 machine. Call (888) 425-6247 to register, the event is over on April 19th.

April is National Library Month and Gerrie Shipski’s office is sponsoring a campaign to help our local libraries, El Dorado Park and Ruth Bach. The campaign will be placing red 5th district canisters in local business and urging customers to “round up” their change and throw it in the canister. All funds collected will go to the Friends of the Long Beach Library for use in our two libraries. Last year the campaign collected several hundred dollars, this year they hope to collect at least $1000 for each library. Besides being in the Council substation, at 2760 Studebaker Rd., I know for certain that canisters will be available in these area businesses:

The Postal Annex
6444 Spring St.

Long Beach Family Optometry
6332 Spring St.

Farmers Insurance
6200 Spring St. “B”

Another good cause, sponsored by the East Spring Street Business Association, is an effort to collect socks for the homeless. They have set a goal of 2008 pairs of socks for 2008. If you can donate a few pair of white (preferred) socks, keep an eye out for boxes in local businesses or give me a call and I will be glad to pick them up personally.

Are you an Artist working alone? Not getting much done and losing enthusiasm? You are invited to join with other Artists and benefit from the interaction. Bring your own art supplies, all mediums are welcomed. There are no material fees, just good company. The room provided has great natural light. April 1, 8, 15, 22 (Tuesday 9 – 12).

808 Stevely Avenue

Offered by Long Beach Parks & Rec. (562) 570-3100, $35 Class # 44646, call or sign up on site.

Lakewood Artist Guild

This is a non-profit organization, serving Lakewood and surrounding communities. They have been providing quality art programs for over 50 years and meet every third Wednesday of the month at Palms Park, 12305 207th St., Lakewood, 7 P.M. The meeting in April will feature Juan “Magoo” Valencia.

Student Art Show-April 4, 5 & 6, Mayfair Park.

Spring Show-May 30, 31 & June 1, Mayfair Park

Fall Show-Oct. 3, 4 & 5 Mayfair Park

Information @ (562) 421-8212

Some of our current Beauties:

3931 Bouton Drive, Lakewood Lakewood Country Club Custom built, 2,572 sq. ft. home on 10,580 sq. ft. lot with Swimming Pool. This very dramatic home has 3-bedrooms & 2 baths. Asking $989,000		3421 Marna Avenue, Long Beach El Dorado Park Estates Sharp three bedroom, two bath home on a very quiet street. All new windows and Sliding Door to the large covered Patio. Price reduced to; $599,900 It is the time to buy!
13533 Clark Avenue, Bellflower Large three bedroom home with great workshop and craft studio. Near Kaiser hospital, it would make an excellent rental property. Now priced at $489,000