Politics & Government

Should It Be Easier To Pass School Parcel Taxes in Lamorinda?

There have been 24 parcel tax elections in Lamorinda since 1983. Only five have failed.

If you live in Lamorinda, you can be forgiven for overestimating the prevalence and popularity of parcel taxes. Since 1983 there have been 24 parcel tax elections in Lamorinda and more than three quarters have passed [See table below].

But statewide only one in 10 California school districts have a parcel tax in place, and more than 50 percent of those districts are in the Bay Area. That was just one of the findings in a report Ed Source announced Wednesday looking at almost 30 years of parcel tax data.

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The report comes as a Democratic supermajority in Sacramento eyes amending the state constitution to make it easier for school districts to pass parcel taxes. California’s voters would still have to approve an amendment lowering the passage threshold from two-thirds to 55 percent, but recent polls show that voters are in favor of giving schools more money and more control over how to spend it.

Here are some of the more interesting conclusions from the Ed Source report:

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  • Since 1983, there have been 608 parcel tax elections in California. While roughly half passed with a two-thirds majority, 87 percent would have passed if the bar had been set at 55 percent.
  • Richer districts are more likely to pass a parcel tax.
  • Districts with parcel taxes that received 55 percent of the vote, but still failed, were more likely to have higher numbers of poor students, black students and Latino students. 

The EdSource report asks if lowering the threshold to 55 percent would augment Gov. Jerry Brown's plan to provide more money to poor students in the state's public schools, or would it only make it easier for more affluent districts to create new funding sources? 

What do you think? Would you support a plan to lower the voting threshold to 55 percent? 

Acalanes Union High School District Parcel Taxes, 1983-2012 District Tax Purpose Percent Approved Election Date Acalanes Union HSD $42/parcel for 10 yrs Maintain program 73.2 6/1/1991 Acalanes Union HSD $20/parcel for 6 yrs Maintain library; small classes; tech 73.6 6/1/1995 Acalanes Union HSD $111/parcel Provide access to 7 period day for all students; increase access to AP classes; technology 63 (failed) 4/1/2000 Acalanes Union HSD $85/parcel-6yrs Maintain program;quality teaching. 74.2 3/1/2001 Acalanes Union HSD $189/parcel - 6 years Strengthen/improve curricula & programs 75.02 3/1/2005 Acalanes Union HSD $189/parcel Provide stable funding, protect science, math, arts, music, foreign language, libraries. 74.5 11/1/2009 Acalanes Union HSD $112/parcel for 5 years To avoid the severe loss of science, foreign language, English, social studies, the arts, and mathematics classes due to continuing cuts in the state's budget. 68.5

5/1/2010

 

Lafayette Parcel Taxes, 1983-2012 Lafayette Elementary $313/parcel-7 yrs Small classes, attract and retain teachers/staff, materials, programs. 73.13 11/1/2007 Lafayette Elementary $176 for 4 years. To maintain core academic programs in math, science, art and music, attract and retain the best qualified teachers, and maintain classroom technology and science lab. 74.19 5/1/2011 Lafayette ESD $84/parcel for 8 yrs Maintain & improve program 73.2 4/1/1992 Lafayette ESD $132/parcel/8yrs Prevent class size increase; avoid elimination of teaching positions; instructional materials; technology; improve writing & science instruction 74.9 11/1/1999 Moraga Parcel Taxes, 1983-2012 Moraga ESD $60/parcel for 5 yrs Maintain class size, program 61.3 (failed) 6/1/1985 Moraga ESD $135/parcel for 4 yrs Program 63.4 (failed) 6/1/1987 Moraga ESD $75/parcel for 8 yrs Maintain & improve program 74.4 4/1/1992 Moraga ESD $129/parcel/5yrs Maintain class size; keep salaries competitive 77.4 11/1/1999 Moraga ESD $325/parcel-6 yrs Maintain classize; hire/retain staff 66.8 3/1/2004 Moraga Elementary $225/yr with no end date Sustain nationally recognized schools; offset state budget cuts; preserve small class sizes and strong academics; and attract and retain outstanding teachers. 64.97 5/1/2012 Orinda Parcel Taxes, 1983-2012 Orinda Union ESD $135/parcel for 5 yrs Maintain program 62.1 (failed) 3/1/1987 Orinda Union ESD $70/parcel for 3 Yrs Maintain program 75.8 6/1/1991 Orinda Union ESD $97/parcel for 5 yrs Maintenance; books & materials 77 4/1/1994 Orinda Union ESD $142/parcel for 6 yrs Maintain programs, attract staff 79.4 3/1/1999 Orinda Union ESD $385/parcel for 6 yrs Ensure reliable funding 63.6 (failed) 3/1/2002 Orinda Union ESD $385/parcel Small classize; neighborhood schools; programs 75 3/1/2003 Orinda Union ESD $124/parcel Reduce the impact of state budget cuts; maintain small class sizes; attract and retain teachers; protect classroom programs and core academics 70.8 3/1/2009 Source: EdSource


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