Contra Costa County Voters Approve Nearly All School Measures

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — Eight school districts in Contra Costa County asked voters to approve hundreds of millions of dollars in bonds and parcel taxes on Tuesday and all but one appeared to earn victories.

The West Contra Costa Unified School District's Measure T, which required a two-thirds majority vote to win, had almost 75 percent of the vote with all precincts reporting.

The measure will extend the existing 7.2 cents per square foot parcel tax for another eight years, raising $9.8 million dollars a year. That means the annual tax bill for owners of a 1,500-square-foot home would be
roughly $108.

The money is for programs and services for students, including after-school programs, counselors, sports, libraries and campus security. It would also be spent on "protecting core academics," including reading,
writing, math and science, according to supporters.

Measure T money could be used to reduce class sizes in kindergarten through third grade and for "attracting and retaining quality teachers."

The other parcel tax in front of Contra Costa County voters was Pittsburg Unified School District's Measure S, which also needed a two-thirds majority to pass.

Measure S appeared to be just short of passing at 66.27 percent, although the results reported by the county elections office early this morning are not yet considered official. Measure S, a renewal of a tax first passed by Pittsburg voters in 2008, sought to raise about $1.2 million annually over seven years by adding a $91 per parcel tax to property owners' yearly bill for art, music and sports programs, as well as to attract and retain teachers and staff, according to supporters.

The other six school funding measures in the county were all bond measures that needed 55 percent voter approval to pass, including two in the John Swett Unified School District, Measures P and Q.

Measure P, which had nearly 60 percent of the vote, will raise $40.2 million to build a new Carquinez Middle School that meets current earthquake safety standards.

Measure Q had more than 64 percent of the vote with 5 of 11 precincts reporting. It will raise $20 million to finish the renovation and safety upgrades at John Swett High School.

Measure U in the Liberty Union High School District earned more than 58 percent of the vote. It will raise $122 million in bonds to upgrade, repair and expand facilities at the Liberty, Freedom and Heritage high school campuses.

The Martinez Unified School District asked voters to approve Measure R, a $120 million bond measure to upgrade and expand its elementary schools. It won more than 66 percent of the vote.

Measure V in the Moraga Elementary School District will raise $33 million in bonds to modernize and expand the district's four campuses. It had more than 71 percent of the vote.

Measure W in the Oakley Union Elementary School District will raise $31 million in bonds to build a new campus and modernize and repair the district's existing eight schools. It had more than 61 percent of the vote
with all precincts reporting.

— Bay City News; Image by Renee Schiavone, Patch