Nicasio School District Parcel Tax Increase, Measure A (May 2015)
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A Nicasio School District parcel tax increase measure was on the ballot for Nicasio School District voters in Marin County, California, on May 5, 2015. According to final, official election results, Measure A ended up ahead of the required 66.67-percent approval by a margin of just eight votes, which means voters narrowly approved the measure.
Measure A authorized the district to renew for ten years its expiring parcel tax and increase the annual rate by $99 per parcel to a total of $573.46 per parcel. Measure A also authorized 3-percent annual increases to the tax rate and provided for an exemption for seniors.[1]
Christy Stocker, principal of Nicasio School, estimated that this tax would raise about $150,000 per year in revenue for the district. The district had a total annual budget of about $1 million in 2015. Stocker also worked as one of the four teachers in the school, which, as of March 30, 2015, had 51 students. According to Stocker, 25 percent of the students had English as a second language, and 20 percent of them were special needs students.[2]
The district had 405 eligible voters at the time of this election. The deadline to register to vote in the May 5 election fell on April 10, 2015.[2]
A two-thirds (66.67%) vote was required for the approval of Measure A.
Election results
| Nicasio School District, Measure A | ||||
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| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
 Yes | 134 | 70.90% | ||
| No | 55 | 29.10% | ||
- Election results from Marin County Elections Office
Background
In 2008, district voters approved Measure B, authorizing a parcel tax of $375 per year per parcel. The measure included 4-percent annual increases, which boosted the tax to its 2015 level of about $475. This Measure B tax was set to expire in 2016, and 2015's Measure A was proposed to replace the expiring revenue and provide an approximately 21-percent boost in parcel tax income for the district.[1]
Text of measure
Ballot question
The following question appeared on the ballot:[1]
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To maintain small class sizes, provide competitive salaries, offer instructional programs that support diverse learners, and fund school operations essential to these goals, should Nicasio School District renew and extend its expiring parcel tax for ten years commencing July 1, 2015, increase the rate by $99 to a total of $573.46, and apply a 3% annual increase for each subsequent year, with an exemption for resident property owners age 65 and older?[3] |
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Support
According to Principal Stocker, the rejection of Measure A would have forced the school to “make some pretty significant decisions." Stocker said that, lacking Measure A revenue, “we would likely be looking at more grade levels per classroom as a result of staff reductions. It would also be unlikely that we could maintain competitive salaries.” She continued, "When the current parcel tax passed in 2008, the district was able, as promised to our voters, to increase salaries of all teachers and staff, bringing them at or near the countywide average. Additionally, we were able to maintain small class sizes ... to ensure that our teachers can provide a quality education for our students in multi-grade classrooms.”[2]
Opposition
If you have an argument you would like to see posted here, please email the Local Ballot Measures Project staff writer.
Related measures
Nicasio School District parcel tax, Measure B (June 2008)
See also
External links
Additional reading
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Marin County Elections Office, "Measure A Notice of Election on May 5, 2015," accessed February 18, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Marin Independent Journal, "Nicasio School mail-in tax election set for May 5," March 30, 2015
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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