San Bruno Park School District to scope term limits for school board

This measure was first discussed at an August 2023 board meeting, presented by then board President Andriana Shea. Minimal discussion was held at the June 18 meeting, when this was approved, with proponents believing the August discussion was sufficient. 

“We have a lot of positions, elected and not, that don’t have term limits and that could be very damaging to the body that they govern,” Shea said in August. 

Blanco disagreed, and said the existence of terms, and the necessity to be reelected in a position every four years, already serves as a limit of sorts.

“I don’t believe in term limits, especially on local boards,” she said on Tuesday. “That’s part of elections. If the community isn’t happy with someone, they just don’t vote for them and the person doesn’t come back.” 

In August, Shea raised the concern that incumbents are hard positions to unseat because “unfortunately, the public does not pay as close attention as we would like them to with public education.” 

“We don’t exactly have people lined up in the next election for school districts,” she said when introducing the measure. 

The measure will not be retroactive so the next term a member serves on the board will be the first counted. 

Term limits were initially proposed last summer to be considered to be put on the ballot in March alongside a parcel tax. However, the parcel tax measure required community polling, ultimately delaying the two items for the upcoming November ballot. 

The board also approved an annual $68 per parcel tax to be voted on in November. This revenue source, if approved, will be authorized for a period of eight years and is to be dedicated toward science, technology, engineering and math programming and to “attract and retain highly qualified teachers and counselors at local elementary and middle schools.” The total measure would generate $730,000 for the district.