A parcel tax that would support programs and boost teachers salary at the Pasadena Unified School District is clinging to the two-thirds support threshold by a thread, according to the latest update from the Los Angeles County Registrar’s Office Thursday afternoon, Nov. 7.
Since Election Day, Measure EE has hovered near the two-thirds (66.67%) majority needed for passage. With results wavering around this line, the measure’s fate, and the funding it would provide for STEAM classes, career training, competitive wages for teachers and staff, as well as counselors and mental health professionals, among others, hangs in the balance, keeping the PUSD community in suspense as final counts trickle in.
As of the registrar’s second post-election night release at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7, Measure EE had received 67.92% of “yes” votes, with 32.08% opposed. Meanwhile, Measure R, a general obligation bond also put forward by PUSD, has securely passed its 55% approval threshold, garnering 63.87% of “yes” votes, and 36.13% “no” votes.
Related story: Day 1 results for PUSD ballot measures
The latest update includes 187,254 ballots processed since election night, including those returned to the United States Postal Service, ballot drop boxes and vote centers on Election Day, the registrar’s office said Thursday. An estimated 906,100 outstanding ballots still need to be processed.
With Measure EE’s support hovering so close to the required threshold, the final outcome remains unclear. As additional ballots, including late-arriving vote-by-mail ballots, as well as conditional and provisional ballots, are counted, even small shifts could push Measure EE above or below the two-thirds mark needed for passage.
Voters within the Pasadena Unified School District boundaries casted their ballots on Tuesday, Nov. 5, on two funding measures with direct implications for property-owners.
Here is a look at each measure and what their passage mean.
LIVE ELECTION RESULTS: See a chart of the latest vote counts
Measure R
If approved, Measure R would raise $900 million for PUSD through levies on property owners. The measure proposes a rate of up to $60 per $100,000 of assessed property value per year, translating into roughly $57 million annually for the district. The bond’s repayment period is estimated to be between 20 to 25 years.
PUSD plans to direct these funds towards a comprehensive list of approved projects, including expanding Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) classrooms and labs, repairing leaky roofs and replacing aging portable classrooms.
One of the most ambitious projects funded by Measure R would be the construction of rental housing units dedicated to teachers and staff. This project will be located at the shuttered Roosevelt Elementary School campus. It aims to alleviate the affordable housing challenges faced by educators and support staff, a problem that has contributed to talent retention and declining student enrollment, district officials said.
While the money from the bond is typically restricted to facility improvements and cannot fund administrators’ salaries, pensions, or benefits, the parcel tax can be used to support wages for teachers and staff.
Measure EE
If approved, Measure EE would impose a parcel tax of $90 per parcel to generate around $5 million annually for eight years. This parcel tax applies to residential, commercial, agricultural and industrial properties within the district. It will expire after eight years and cannot be renewed without voters’ approval.
Revenue from this measure would support expanding Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) classes; enhance career training and college readiness courses; provide competitive wages for teachers and staff, as well as fund the hiring of counselors and mental health professionals.
Seniors over the age of 65, as well as certain homeowners receiving Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance, may qualify for exemption from the parcel tax.
Proceeds from the two measures can only be used on PUSD initiatives and are protected from state reallocation.
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