Finding The Sweet Spot
Meeting the super majority thresh hold of 2/3 is tough especially for school districts trying to pass their first parcel tax. Sometimes it it better to go for a lower amount then go for what you need. Jefferson Union High School lowers it parcel tax amount from $96 to $48 and finally passed a parcel tax on its third try. New Haven’s request for $180 actually slipped in support from its first attempt thirteen months ago. So the amount matters in these tough economic times.
Here is a complete rundown of June 5 school parcel taxes state wide:
Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified – $89/parcel 5 years – new
Standing at a passing rate of 66.9%, absentee votes will need to counted before the results are final.
Hayward Unified – $58/parcel 5 years – new
With 70% Yes vote, this first time measure passed.
Jefferson Union High School – $48/parcel 4 years – new
After losses of 65.8% and 59% for a $96 parcel tax, voters approved this $48 parcel tax.
New Haven Unified – $180/parcel 4 years – new
Similar to Jefferson Union High School, the second time for this parcel tax saw a decline in support after narrowly losing the first time. After losing with 66.4% last year, Yes vote dropped to 62.3%.
Redwood City Elementary – $67/parcel 5 years – new
With 69% Yes vote, third time was a charm for Redwood City.
Ross Valley School District – $458/parcel 8 years – replaces $309/parcel expiring in 2014
Not surprisingly, Ross voters approved a new parcel tax for the fourth time. Starting in 1993 with $136, Ross voters had approved parcel taxes in 1997 and 2005 with increased amounts every time.
Santa Barbara Unified – $54/parcel 4 years – replaces $50/parcel expiring in 2013
In 2008, Santa Barbara approved parcel tax measures for elementary and high school districts for a combined $50. The measures failed to extend the parcel tax.
Santa Cruz City Schools – $123/parcel 8 years – replaces $98/parcel expiring in 2013
Santa Cruz voters overwhelmingly approved extending and increasing a current parcel tax. Almost 80% of voters approved the measures.
Scotts Valley School Districts – $48/parcel 3 years – new
Following it neighbors in Santa Cruz, Scott Valley voter approved this first time measure with over 75% Yes vote.
West Contra Costa Unified – 10.2 cents sq ft 5 years – replaces 7.2 cents sq ft expiring in 2014
With 63% Yes vote the measure is failing.
Comments
2 Comments on Finding The Sweet Spot
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Parcel taxes beat the odds | Thoughts on Public Education on
Thu, 7th Jun 2012 7:15 am
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The Educated Guess: Parcel taxes beat the odds : SCOE News Reader on
Thu, 7th Jun 2012 7:43 am
[...] schools exclusively, more than two-thirds of voters in nine school districts said yes – a wide enough margin to pass a parcel tax. Even the four parcel taxes that lost got over 60 percent support and would have passed had the [...]
[...] schools exclusively, more than two-thirds of voters in nine school districts said yes – a wide enough margin to pass a parcel tax. Even the four parcel taxes that lost got over 60 percent support and would have passed had the [...]
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