Coastside voters pass school parcel tax, measures F and G

Proponents of several local ballot issues celebrated on election night as three out of four measures had the majority support they needed to pass.

The Cabrillo Unified School District (CUSD) parcel tax, Measure B, which extends an existing parcel tax that was approved by voters as Measure E in June 2010 for an additional five years, passed with 70 percent voter support. A two-thirds majority was required.

The annual tax would remain at $150 per parcel and continue to go toward the maintenance of qualified teachers and small class sizes, keeping schools open, preserving academic programs and maintaining updated classroom computer technology.

On election night, a group of CUSD board directors, PTO members, parents, and students gathered at the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company where the Measure B election camp tallied votes. By day's end, victory was in the air as the results came in with a solid two-thirds majority to win.

"I am excited that Measure B passed for a number of reasons," said Co-Chair for the Measure B campaign and Hatch Elementary PTO president Corrine Bucher. "First, it feels great to live in a community that can come together to pass a measure that touches all the students in the CUSD. Secondly, I have two children who will be coming up through Cunha and Half Moon High School, and this funding allows the District to keep the forward momentum it has been working so hard to create."

Measure B will take effect after the original measure expires at the end of June 2015.

Measure G, which would allow the Granada Sanitary District (GSD) to become a community services district and acquire parks and recreation powers by Oct. 1, passed with 58 percent of voters showing support for the measure.

Under Measure G, the Granada Sanitary District will continue to provide sewer and garbage service while potentially adding active recreational opportunities as well as benches and picnic tables on the Burnham Strip and the development of neighborhood parks along El Granada medians, on school district sites and within the county-owned Quarry Park and Mirada Surf.

GSD estimates sewer rates would increase $83 over the next five years by reorganizing into a community services district with parks control.

Measure F, which would make Half Moon Bay city officials get approval from voters before proceeding with a project to repair or replace the Main Street Bridge in downtown Half Moon Bay, passed with 65 percent of the vote.

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Coastside voters pass school parcel tax, measures F and G