Millbrae eyes new school, tax

Under an expectation that Millbrae could see development of nearly 1,000 residential units over the coming several years, the report suggested officials should focus on financing school construction to serve new students living in those homes.

As most of the district’s campuses are already operating near their capacity, rebuilding the Lomita Park Elementary School campus with new facilities able to accommodate as many as 600 students may be in order, said the report.

The school site is likely to face the largest enrollment uptick as it is closest to the area experiencing the most growth and a new facility could better accommodate more students while offering relief to nearby campuses, said the report.

It is the only elementary campus on the eastern side of the district, and its enrollment boundaries include the train station where hundreds of homes are proposed to be built in sweeping, mixed-used proposals. Residential growth is expected to bring an anticipated 250 more students to the district by 2024, when enrollment should reach about 2,700 students. Such growth would amount to an increase of roughly 650 students since 2009.

School board President Lynne Ferrario noted though the infrastructure work is necessary not only to accommodate future development but also to improve existing facilities which struggle to meet the needs of current students.

“We have to do this anyway because we have buildings that are in need of an upgrade,” she said.

To finance the rebuild and a variety of other infrastructure improvements, officials should examine floating a school bond measure worth as much as $87 million next year, according to the report.

Beyond rebuilding Lomita Park, the bond revenue could pay for constructing new maker labs at each elementary school campus and replace all existing portable classrooms while fixing aging infrastructure, said the report.

A potential tax would not be the sole source of financing for all the $110 million worth of work identified in the master plan, as $3 million could be drawn from development fees; $12 million from district reserves and as much as $14 million in state financing.

Ferrario noted the discussion is still in its initial phases, and school officials plan to move deliberately when considering whether to ultimately float the bond measure to a future election ballot. She said feedback offered through a forthcoming voter survey will likely determine the district’s next steps.

Perhaps complicating the fundraising effort for the district will be the interest of city officials in generating revenue to finance reconstruction of a new community center to replace the facility lost to an arsonist.

City officials fell short of receiving the supermajority voter approval to pass a bond measure in the previous election, and have since expressed interest in resurrecting the effort in future elections.

Ferrario said school officials will be sensitive to the needs of their counterparts at City Hall when examining potential financing strategies, while also prioritizing the best interest of the district’s students.

“We work with the city because we all have the same interest in mind,” said Ferrario. “Whether it be kids, neighbors or residents — we are all here for the same community.”

Should the district move for the bond measure, it would mark the second time in recent years that educators pursued a tax measure. Voters approved the district’s first parcel tax in the last election.

Ultimately, Ferrario said the district must balance its broad consideration against the an obligation to assure the needs of existing and future students are met.

“We have to stay clear on our vision for the district and making sure our facilities are up to par for students currently, and any future students,” she said.

The Millbrae Elementary School District Board of Trustees meets 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5, in the Millbrae City Council Chambers, 621 Magnolia Ave.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

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