Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary School District eyes renewing its parcel tax

The poll found 69.6% of likely voters in a May 2022 election would support a proposal to consolidate the district’s two parcel taxes into a single measure worth $298 and extend its expiration for another eight years.

That level of support is just a few points more than the supermajority required for the tax to pass. Yet despite the slim margins, Superintendent Dan Deguara shared his confidence that the tax, if floated, would be supported by voters.

“Our community does want quality schools and the parcel tax brings elements to our education that makes us strong,” he said.

No decision is slated to be made at the upcoming meeting, but officials are expected to discuss a timeline for the potential campaign.

Deguara said officials are uncertain which election they will target to float the initiative, but have acknowledged there are concerns over potentially allowing the measures to expire and losing critical funding.

“The goal of the survey was to begin to gauge perceptions out there to inform our forward planning,” he said.

The district currently has two parcel taxes currently. Measure R, passed in 2013, is set at $174 per year and will expire in 2025, and Measure K, passed in 2018, is set at $118 and will expire in 2023.

The two taxes combine generate about $3.6 million annually in money that can be paid toward operational costs. Deguara noted that the considered proposal would only consolidate the two taxes and extend the expiration, but not add to the cost of the measures.

While testing support for the measures, the pollsters asked whether voters would prefer the tax renew automatically until voters took the initiative to end it. Voter support for that concept peaked at 67.2% though, short of support shown for the alternative format with a sunset proposed in eight years.

The discussion regarding the potential tax arrives weeks removed from a contentious series of board meetings when officials faced backlash from frustrated parents dismayed over plans to reopen schools amid the pandemic.

With those hard feelings lingering, Deguara acknowledged that building community support for the potential measure could hindered. But ultimately, he shared confidence that those with close connections to the school understand the value of providing resources to the district.

“Our community does recognize that the quality education that the parcel tax helps us provide and they want to see those things continue for their children,” he said.

Regarding support shown in the poll for the proposal as well, Deguara noted the survey was taken during the height of the pandemic when feelings toward the school district may have been their most intense.

Since then, as classroom reopenings have continued and vaccination availability has enhanced, he suggested those hard feelings might have started to soften.

“Our community has the ability to see through the pandemic and recognize — yes, there have been challenges, as there have been with virtually every school district. But things are looking extremely positive,” he said.

He bolstered that perspective by noting the district is planning a full reopening in the fall, further addressing concerns by parents fearful that remote learning would continue through the next school year.

“Pandemic or not, I think our community wants quality schools and they are willing to continue to support that,” he said.

austin@smdailyjournal.com