Palo Alto — A consultant presented community polling and financing scenarios for the Cubberley Community Center at a Dec. 15 study session, and council members pressed staff to refine ballot language and cost estimates before asking voters for funding.

Miranda Everett, partner at FM3 Research, told the council that a November survey of 407 Palo Alto residents found strong concern about the condition of Cubberley’s buildings (46% dissatisfied) and 66% support for the concept in principle. When asked about willingness to pay, 53% said they would back a roughly $250-per-year parcel-tax scenario to purchase land and perform minor renovations; support fell sharply for larger price points and broader scopes.

The poll tested mechanisms in isolation and found no single funding mechanism had majority support without specifics about scope and amount. Everett said the next poll (poll 3) will present complete ballot language including mechanism, amount and project uses to provide a more realistic test of voter appetite.

Staff outlined a multi-pronged financing approach. Christine Perras, assistant director of administrative services, described a phase-one package that prioritizes land purchase and basic repairs, with headline estimates shown to council: a land purchase estimated at ~$65.5 million and a phase-one master-plan total of roughly $392 million, with additional phases totaling about $220 million. Two mechanism scenarios were highlighted: a half‑cent sales-tax (estimated $218M) that would require state authorization to place locally, and a square‑foot parcel tax (estimated ~$102M, ~$250/year average household). The staff presentation noted that sales taxes require a simple majority while a local parcel tax requires a two‑thirds vote unless placed by citizen initiative.

Public commenters — including volunteers and members of the Friends of the Palo Alto Recreation and Wellness Center — urged the council to purchase the land and work with partners, including philanthropy, to make the project more affordable to voters. Several urged parcel-tax preference because sales taxes are regressive.

What’s next: staff will return with refined 15% design and costing work and polling that places mechanism, amount and project uses together to provide a truer test of voter support.

Sources: FM3 Research presentation and staff briefing to the Palo Alto City Council, Dec. 15, 2025.