Overspending causes school district problems a split roll can’t solve

California’s public-employee unions are backing an initiative slated for the 2020 ballot that would eliminate Proposition 13’s tax protections for commercial properties, through a so-called “split roll,” as a way to dramatically boost tax revenues for schools and local governments.
State officials routinely address the plight of financially strapped districts by promoting higher taxes. They always fail to address two simple questions. First, what have districts done with