Approximately 57% of possible voters would approve a $498 million bond measure for the San Mateo-Foster City School District in an upcoming election, crossing the threshold to pass only by a slim margin, according to a voter survey.
While the survey results found most respondents see a need for additional funding for the school district, only a slight majority would “probably” or “definitely” support a measure, which is proposed for the June 2026 ballot. The results show to be lower compared to past election polling, consultants told the Board of Trustees Aug. 28.
The proposed measure would authorize $498 million in bonds, levying $29 per $100,000 in assessed property value, and would generate an average of $35 million for the school annually, consultant Justice Polsky-Sanchez said.
The funds would be dedicated toward district facilities, including essential safety repairs and upgrades, classroom updates for science, technology engineering and math learning, and potentially affordable housing for teachers and staff.
In 2020, 64% of voters approved a $409 million bond measure for the district. Approximately 60% has been spent, according to a staff update in June.
Survey results indicated that respondents with children in the district were less likely to vote in favor of the measure. Nearly 40% stated there is no need for more funding.
To consultant Jared Boigon of TeamCivX, this isn’t a cause for concern because it is “easier to communicate to parents,” considering the district’s direct access to those constituents.
The next six months should be dedicated to making parents and the community aware of what improvements are needed and that the funds are focused directly on campuses, Boigon said. He added that parents witnessing the ongoing improvements may be confused at the need for more, so explaining what else needs to be done across the district will be critical.
“Obviously not everyone knows that we have this super long list and we could only meet some of the needs in the first round,” Trustee Maggie Trinh said.
Active construction projects include the Fiesta Gardens campus expansion and updates to the multipurpose room at Sunnybrae Elementary School and drama and science facility updates at Bowditch Middle School.
Respondents also showed that while voters are happy with the way things are going locally, they also are “expressing some anxiety about worsening economic conditions,” which may affect the way they vote. However, they also showed a desire for local control in funding schools.
The bond measure proposal is to be considered for June 2026, but could be pushed to November if necessary, Boigon said. However, this isn’t recommended because the district will be looking to renew a parcel tax shortly after.
The district’s Measure V parcel tax went into effect in 2019 and expires in 2028, and typically districts look to pass a renewal before the expiration date so there is no gap in income. The parcel tax was approved for $349.40 per parcel per year.
The district will continue gauging whether a bond measure will succeed on the ballot. Trustees have until early next spring to decide to move forward.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.