Parcel Tax
Measure G will provide our small Sausalito-Marin City School District with the resources needed to attract and retain high-quality teachers and educational staff. The funds generated by Measure G will remain in our community, ensuring that we can continue to offer an excellent education to all of our students while supporting the dedicated professionals who make a difference every day.
Measure G will also:
• Provide educational opportunities and programs that students need to achieve in high school and college.
• Maintain manageable class sizes.
• Provide additional programs in reading and math.
• Improve instructional materials.
• Provide academic intervention for children who need additional support.
Parcel tax faq
Parcel tax faq
Parcel tax faq
Who can vote for the parcel tax?
All voters within the Sausalito Marin City School District may vote for Measure G parcel tax on the November ballot. Voters may vote on the resolution, even if they are not property owners or if they qualify for a tax exemption (described below). The resolution requires 66.6% of voter approval in order to go into effect.
How much is the tax?
The tax is $0.15 per building square foot, up to a maximum of 23,000 square feet. For example, the annual cost to a property owner for a 1,000 sq ft home would be $150. The annual cost for a 2,500 sq ft home would be $375. The tax is capped for buildings larger than 23,000 sq ft. The tax will be assessed starting July 1, 2025. Please visit [website] to see a tax calculator that can estimate your tax. There is no escalation clause in the tax. It will not increase each year.
How will the parcel tax affect:
- Homeowners: Homeowners would pay $0.15 per square foot of building area annually, subject to the exemptions described below.
- Other property owners: Building owners, including residential, commercial and industrial structures, would pay $0.15 per square foot of building area, up to a maximum of 23,000 square feet of building space, subject to the exemptions described below.
- Renters: Renters may not be directly subject to property tax, which is the responsibility of the landlord. The lease or rental agreement may stipulate whether property tax increases are passed through to the renter. Rent increases may be governed by other regulations.
- Public housing residents:Public housing is not subject to the parcel tax. “All public property that is otherwise exempt from or upon which no ad valorem property taxes are levied in any year shall also be exempt from the qualified special tax in such year.”, however, Public Housing residents can vote on the tax.
- Low-income seniors: “Low-income” homeowners, age 65 or older, may quality for a tax exemption, subject to a one-time verification.
i.“Low income” means the parcel owner’s income is equal to or lower than the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) income limits used to determine eligibility for assisted housing programs as set forth in the San Francisco, California HUD Metro FMR Area rates published annually. If the income limits used to determine eligibility for assisted housing programs by HUD is discontinued or revised, another similar government index or computation shall be utilized, as determined by the Board of the District.
- Low income disabled people: Property owners receiving Social Security Income for a Disability, or Social Security Disability Income benefits may qualify for a tax exemption, subject to a one-time verification.
- People who live on houseboats: The parcel tax would only apply to “taxable real property”, which means that houseboat owners are not subject to the parcel tax.
- Owners of unimproved land: Unimproved land is defined as a parcel of real property on which no building exists. These parcels would be taxed annually at a rate of $25 per parcel.
How much additional annual revenue is the tax expected to generate for schools?
If approved, the resolution is estimated to raise $1,300,000 in annual local
funding for our schools. This estimate is based on [# homes + # business x average size, etc]. The actual amount of funding raised will vary from year-to-year due to changes in things like the number of parcels subject to the tax, and the amount of building square footage on those parcels.
How will we know that the funds are being used as intended?
The proposed parcel tax measure requires fiscal accountability measures, including:
- an independent citizens’ oversight committee
- annual audits
- mandatory public disclosures
Does the parcel tax ever expire?
Yes, the tax measure is temporary and will expire in 8 years unless it is re-approved by voters.
Letter from the superintendent
Letter from the superintendent
Letter from the superintendent
Sausalito Marin City School District
200 Phillips Drive, Marin City, CA 94965
(415)332-3190 | smcsd.org
LaResha Huffman, Superintendent
Dear Community Members of Sausalito and Marin City,
I hope you’ve all had a wonderful summer. We are excited about children returning to school, and we hope the coming year will be the best ever. The construction of the new K-8 school, which includes new classrooms and science labs, is well underway and our staff is reporting that children and staff are excited for the new school year.
As the school year begins, I wanted to let you know of an extremely important ballot measure concerning our schools – Measure G. You may be aware that our Sausalito-Marin City schools have suffered for many years from inadequate funding from the state of California. This, coupled with the high cost of living in the Bay Area, makes recruiting and retaining quality teachers and educational staff increasingly difficult for all subjects and grade levels. While other Marin County school districts benefit from local revenue measures to supplement minimal state support, our school district has no equivalent source.
Measure G has been placed on the ballot to support quality educational programs for children in our community, Pre K through eighth grade. The tax is a modest fifteen cents per square foot, so owners of condos and small homes pay less than owners of mansions and commercial properties. There is also an exemption for seniors with lower incomes.
It is important to note that every penny generated by this measure will stay in our community to benefit our schools and local children. In the coming weeks you will be receiving more information about this important measure. In the meantime, I want to thank you for your support of our schools and encourage you to contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
LaResha Huffman
Superintendent of Sausalito Marin City School District
