Overwhelming Approval for Measure B

Dublin voters have overwhelmingly approved extending a parcel tax for educational funding for another five years.

In a special mail-in election in which results were tabulated on Tuesday night, 79 percent of voters approved Measure B, which continues to impose a tax of $96 a year per parcel to give general funding to Dublin's schools.

The tax was first approved by Dublin voters in 2008.

Dublin Unified School District officials and school supporters said in their ballot argument that it is important for the city's schools to receive the extra funds because of changes to the state's local control funding formula for K-12 schools.

The changes imposed revenue limits and shifted a larger amount of funds to districts with a higher concentration of lower-income students than the Dublin district has. In their argument, supporters said, "While funding for education is improving, state funding for Dublin schools will not be fully restored for at least another seven years. With our increasing enrollment, it is more critical than ever for the Dublin Unified School District to maintain stable funding."

School officials said the funds from Measure B will help maintain academic excellence in math, science, reading, writing and technology, create and expand academies in science, engineering, medicine and biotechnology and attract and retain highly-qualified teachers.

They said the funds also will maintain school libraries and up-to-date instructional materials for students.

The measure allows homeowners who are 65 or older to receive exemptions from the tax and requires a citizen's oversight committee to ensure that the revenue is spent as promised.

--By Bay City News