Voters across East San Jose will decide this November whether to hand the Alum Rock Union Elementary School District more than $215 million in new taxes, about 14 months after the district closed six campuses and amid fresh questions about how it has handled bond money in the past. The ballot includes Measure O, a parcel tax increase, and Measure P, a $100 million facilities bond, both pitched by district leaders as necessary to stop budget cuts, protect academic programs and fix buildings that are more than 60 years old.
According to The Mercury News, the district serves about 7,300 preschool-through-8th-grade students in East San Jose, a population in which 78% are considered socioeconomically disadvantaged and 43% are classified as English language learners. District officials say the tax measures would prevent budget cuts and protect services, though Alum Rock Union did not respond to a request for comment on the measures, per the same report.
Measure O would replace a parcel tax that voters approved in June 2022, raising the annual levy from $214.10 to $310 per parcel and generating roughly $6.5 million a year starting July 1, 2027, for seven years, the outlet reports. It would mark the district’s fourth parcel tax since 2010 and needs a two-thirds supermajority to pass. Measure P, a separate $100 million bond, needs only 55% approval and carries an average annual tax rate of $25.52 per $100,000 of assessed property value, collecting about $6.3 million annually through 2054 with total debt of roughly $170 million including principal and interest, according to the same account.
Why the District Says It Needs the Money
Supporters frame the measures as essential to protect academic programs, staff and services while repairing facilities that have aged for six decades, the Mercury News reports. Measure O funds would specifically protect services for students with disabilities, academic programs, qualified teachers, foster youth and students experiencing housing instability, while Measure P money would go toward repairing roofs, plumbing, infrastructure, safety systems, classrooms, restrooms, play areas, cafeterias, athletic fields, gymnasiums and locker rooms. The district has said budget cuts could take away dedicated teachers, vital services and academic programs if the measures fail…