Dublin voters pass Measure E

Dublin Unified School District voters signed off on extending the $96-per-parcel tax for another nine years by passing Measure E in the May 7 mail-only special election, according to the final unofficial results update reported by Alameda County election officials.

Parcel tax funds revenue aids DUSD in efforts to attract and retain high-quality teachers, support academic achievement, keep class sizes down, help students who read below their grade level, and maintain school libraries, instructional materials and classroom technology, district officials said.

“This result reaffirms one of the characteristics of Dublin and its citizens that I love most,” DUSD Board of Trustees President Amy Miller said in a statement after the election.

“Our kids always come first,” Miller added. “There is widespread support for education, and that has been the case for as long as I can remember. I want to thank our community for continually supporting our efforts to provide the best quality education for our students.”

The parcel tax, which raises approximately $1.7 million each year and has been in place since 2008, was due to expire at the end of June if not renewed by the voters.

And renew they did, albeit with low participation.

Results show 74.49% in favor of pass Measure E (5,061 Yes votes) compared to 25.51% against the tax extension (1,733 No votes), well above the two-thirds voter support required for passage.

According to county officials, 6,800 of the 29,273 eligible DUSD voters (23.23%) completed ballots for the mail-only special election.

Though the results posted online include all ballots processed and counted election week, the totals are considered unofficial until certified — which the Alameda County Registrar of Voters’ Office expects to occur by next Thursday.

“You might think a parcel tax supporting public education would be an easy sell, but it’s not. I’ve seen many communities reject similar measures,” Interim Superintendent Dave Marken said in a statement.

“Given the state of funding for public education in California, this level of community support is essential to maintain our high quality of education. Measure E will help bridge the gap between where we are and where we should be, making Dublin a better place to learn,” he added. “This is a tremendous win for our community.”

The parcel tax spending would be subject to oversight by a citizens’ committee and funds could not go toward administrator salaries. There is also an exemption for Dublin seniors (65 years old or older) who own and occupy their parcel as their primary residence.