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Newly released election results show Petaluma City Schools’ Measure I making slight gains since Election Day but still falling short of the two-thirds approval needed to pass.
The proposed $129-per-parcel tax, placed on the Nov. 4 ballot by Petaluma City Schools, had about 61.5% approval last week. Updated results released Monday afternoon show support rising slightly to just over 62% — still below the 66% threshold required for parcel tax measures under California law.
County election officials said they have not yet called the race because it’s unclear how many of the mail-in ballots left to count belong to the Petaluma Joint High School District.
Barring a surge of “yes” votes, the county’s second-largest school district could face major cuts. Teachers and administrators have warned of dire consequences if Measure I fails.
“Without the parcel tax money, the district will have to cut millions of dollars and it will basically impact every site, every program, every employee, and every student,” school board president Mady Cloud told the Argus-Courier in October.
The measure marked the district’s second attempt in as many years to support its middle and high schools through a dedicated funding source. District leaders have said they face “critical funding challenges due to the state of California’s low per-pupil funding levels and the district’s comparatively lower revenue compared to other North Bay districts.”