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Trustees at the San Ramon Valley Unified School District are set to hold public hearings and vote on resolutions that would seek to renew the district’s existing parcel tax and approve the consideration of a supplemental parcel tax aimed at maintaining and improving the district’s financial health.
If approved by the board at their upcoming meeting, the two resolutions on the table would call for a special election on May 7 via mail-in ballots in which voters would make the final decision on renewing the current parcel tax and approving a supplemental parcel tax.
The existing parcel tax is at a special tax assessment rate of $144 per parcel annually, with the supplemental parcel tax up for debate this week proposed at $98 per parcel annually.
Both measures would be effective for nine years, with the current tax measure up for renewal set to begin on July 1, 2025 and the supplemental tax set to go into effect shortly after the proposed special election on July 1 this year.
“Proceeds are expected to be approximately $6.8 million annually and would be used to attract and retain highly qualified teachers, support academic programs in science, technology, engineering, arts, math, reading and writing, prepare students for college and careers, and maintain Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs,” wrote the district’s chief business officer Stella Kemp in a staff report on the parcel tax renewal prepared for the upcoming meeting.
The supplemental tax would be used for programming aimed at supporting students’ academic success and addressing mental health needs, as well as funding for additional teachers and counselors for students with special needs, Kemp wrote in the staff report prepared for that item.
The current parcel tax was first approved by a majority of voters in 2004, who approved its renewal in 2009 and 2015. If renewed again, existing measures exempting low income residents, homeowners over 65-years-old, and people with disabilities from the tax assessment. Those taxpayers would also be exempt from the supplemental tax.
Other specifications in both proposed measures include a prohibition on the funds generated from the tax being used for administrator salaries, and the review of an independent citizens’ oversight committee to ensure that spending from those funds is only used for authorized purposes.
If approved, the district would call on the Contra Costa County Board of Education to move forward with the special election. The cost of the election – estimated at $1.4 million – would be covered by the district’s General Fund.
The SRVUSD board is set to meet at 6 p.m. on Tuesday (Jan. 30). The agenda is available here.
In other business
*The board will consider approving a joint initial proposal for labor negotiations between the district and the California School Employees Association following a public hearing on the matter.
*The board will consider approving recommended appointments for its Facilities Oversight and Advisory Committee.
*In a closed session ahead of the public meeting, the board will discuss appointing a new high school principal, two cases of pending litigation, labor negotiations with unions representing district employees, and a public employee dismissal/release item.
