Two local school districts may seek parcel tax revenue

By Lori Porter
Acorn Staff Writer

Oak Park Unified School District officials convened last Thursday evening for a special study session on preparing for a parcel tax election.

OPUSD has hired Tramutola Public Mobilization (TPM). It’s a political consulting firm in Oakland that assists school districts with bond issues, parcel taxes and campaign strategies. A parcel tax would help compensate the district for an estimated $1 million in upcoming state budget cuts.

Charles Heath of TPM facilitated the meeting and gave a presentation that covered every aspect of the parcel tax measure: from what it is to how it’s introduced to voters.

A parcel tax generates revenue by levying an annual assessment on each parcel of property in the district, with each homeowner paying the same amount of tax, no matter the value of their property.

The beauty of a parcel tax from a school district’s perspective is that the revenue goes directly into the district’s general fund and can be spent where it’s most needed, such as class size reduction, arts, music and other special programs, salaries for teachers and staff, and buying textbooks and other materials.

The district can establish restrictions in the ballot language of the parcel tax. A common restriction is a sunset law that sets a date when the parcel tax would end. Most districts include a sunset clause because voters often reject taxes that continue indefinitely.

Placing restrictions on how revenue is spent also gives voters a sense of control; they know exactly how their money will be spent.

Certain citizens can apply for parcel tax exemptions. For instance, a senior citizen who lives at home in the district could qualify for such an exemption.

Unlike many other ballot measures, a parcel tax requires a two-thirds majority.

The differences between a parcel tax and a general obligation bond are many. The biggest distinction is that revenue from bond issues can only be spent on capital improvements—bond issues are usually for large construction projects.

Another major difference is that bonds are repaid, usually over 30 years, by levying a property tax based on the assessed value of each parcel in the district. Everyone pays the tax and no one is exempt.

OPUSD is in the early phase of the parcel tax process and hasn’t determined how much the homeowners would pay. It will be decided after TPM polls Oak Park voters on how the feel about the district and how much they’d be willing to pay in an annual parcel tax.

OPUSD officials plan to announce their decision on whether to pursue the parcel tax at the next board meeting scheduled for 7 p.m., Tues., Oct. 21. Meetings are conducted at Oak Park High School.