A parcel tax to provide funding for the Petaluma Joint Union High School District appears to be falling short of the two-thirds approval needed to pass, according to early returns in Tuesday’s election.
Measure I proposed a $129 parcel tax to raise an estimated $3.02 million annually for eight years to fund the district’s middle and high schools, but had less than 61% approval with 243 of 390 precincts reporting in early results Tuesday night from Sonoma County elections officials.
The district includes a sliver of Marin County, where it had less support at 67 votes, or 53.6%, of the 125 votes cast there.
The ballot argument submitted in favor of Measure I by school officials and the president of the local teachers’ union said the tax was needed because Petaluma schools “receive far less funding than many school districts in the North Bay” and are losing teachers to neighboring districts.
No ballot argument was submitted against Measure I.