San Marino parcel tax renewed with 76.8% support; district staff outline options to combine or redesign future parcel taxes

San Marino — Voters renewed the district’s Measure R parcel tax by 76.8% in the June election, the San Marino Unified School District heard at its Aug. 26 Board of Education meeting. Joy Coomer of TeamCivics presented post‑election analysis and sketched timing and structural options for renewing the district’s larger Measure E, which expires June 30, 2027.

Coomer told the board that 3,165 ballots were cast in the June vote — about a 30% turnout of registered voters — and that Measure R’s margin and turnout patterns reflect strong cross‑party support. “We saw support from Democrats, Republicans and no‑party‑preference voters,” Coomer said, noting the two‑thirds (66.7%) threshold required to pass a parcel tax renewal.

The presentation detailed two main choices: (1) pursue a straightforward renewal of Measure E in 2027 for a six‑year term, or (2) seek a single combined parcel tax that would replace both Measure E and Measure R on the same six‑year schedule. Coomer said a combined measure could save the district and volunteer campaign groups the cost and effort of running two separate parcel‑tax elections and noted the district has time to “explain how this would not change anything, but instead save the district money.” She recommended beginning polling and community outreach early next year, after competing ballot activity this November subsides.

Board members asked about the mechanics and fairness of restructuring the parcel tax. Board member Francesca Gill asked whether the district could change parcel taxes from flat per‑parcel amounts to an assessed‑value model tied to property value. Coomer said California parcel taxes must be levied as a flat dollar amount per parcel; they cannot be changed to a tax based on assessed value. She added that many districts include cost‑of‑living adjustments (COLA) in parcel taxes; the district’s measures increase roughly 3% annually. San Marino’s current Measure E per‑parcel rate in 2024 was presented as $1,052.63 and Measure R at $415 per parcel.

Board discussion touched on alternatives such as square‑footage or cents‑per‑square‑foot levies, which some Bay Area districts use to shift more cost to large commercial parcels and very large homes. Coomer said such a change would be more significant and require careful community education and polling.

What happened: The board heard the presentation and asked questions; no vote or formal decision on timing or combining measures was taken at the meeting. Coomer and district staff recommended polling and community outreach in early 2026 to test support for consolidation or renewal options.

Why it matters: Parcel taxes supply recurring general‑fund revenue used to pay for classroom positions and programs. The district’s choice — renew separately or combine measures — will affect campaign timing, community outreach and the district’s long‑term budgeting for staff and services.

What’s next: Consultants recommended waiting until after the November ballot season to avoid competing mail and then conducting polling in January 2026; the board did not set a firm schedule at the Aug. 26 meeting.

Speakers quoted in this article are identified in the meeting transcript.