Failure of Measure B Confirmed in Recount

A recount of ballots completed Wednesday afternoon confirmed the narrow defeat of Measure B, a parcel tax that would have raised $12 million over four years to help pay for after-school programs, preserve instructional time and minimize class size increases for New Haven schools.

The manual recount identified one additional yes vote, according to Richard Valle, chairman of the Measure B campaign committee.

That brings the final total to 7,852 votes in favor and 3,967 opposed, an approval percentage of 66.44.

The measure needed 66.67 percent approval—translated to 82 additional "yes" votes—to pass.

Valle announced last week that he was seeking a recount after the measure failed by less than one-half of 1 percent in the May 3 special election.

The recount was held Wednesday at the Alameda County Registrar of Voters office in Oakland.

If passed, Measure B would have taxed property owners $180 for four years, raising approximately $3 million annually for schools in the New Haven Unified School District.

The district is facing a budget shortfall of more than $10 million next school year and officials have said that without the emergency funding from the measure, class sizes in K-3 classrooms will increase, the school year will be shortened by up to five days and extra- and co-curricular programs such as athletics, band and forensics will be cut.

At its May 3 meeting, the Board of Education gave final approval to cut 65.6 full-time equivalent K-12 teaching positions, the entire adult education program, three library media specialists, five counselors and one psychologist.

Twelve administrative positions at the middle and high schools were also cut.

Valle said he hoped additional revenues identified by Governor Jerry Brown in his updated budget unveiled Monday would help the district make up for funds it lost out on with Measure B's defeat.

California's revised budget included an unexpected $6.6 billion in additional tax revenues, but Brown is still calling for an extension of vehicle-license fee and sales tax rates in order to close a state budget deficit estimated at $9.6 billion and stop additional cuts to education at the local level.

"It's really important that we communicate with the governor," Valle said, "to get as much of it in the direction of our schools."

"We need to move forward. I'm willing to work with anyone to help improve the education of our children, [but] without the money it won't happen," he said.

As the district looks to finalize its budget for the upcoming school year, given Measure B's defeat  and a budget allocation from the state that remains uncertain, members of the community are working to raise money in the meantime.

The New Haven Boosters Association is organizing a series of events and strategies to raise $350,000 by the end of the school year to keep cancelled programs going, according to Boosters co-chair Michael Ritchie.

“We still have a lot of power,” Ritchie said at Tuesday night's school board meeting, adding that a majority of voters in the election favored the proposal.

"I see that as a positive," he said.

The Boosters plan to appeal to Measure B supporters and families with children enrolled in the district, asking for a suggested donation of $60, or however much they can afford, from each of the 6,000 families the district serves.

In addition, the club will holds its second annual “Race to Save Student Activities” 5K/10K Fun Run on June 11 to raise money. The run and the Boosters club were both founded last year when extra- and co-curricular programs were previously at risk.

Lastly, students and staff at James Logan High School have proposed the "10-10-10" plan, whereby students ask ten people to donate $10 to the school by June 10.