Essential Voter Tools & Info

Read the Best Impartial Voter Guides

Consider CST’s Guidance

Use CST’s Calculator to Learn What that Proposed Tax Costs YOU

Find & Take into Account Your Hidden Taxes

VOTE & Make Sure Your Ballot Isn’t Rejected

Best impartial info about measures on your local and statewide ballot

**KQED’s voter guide provides an excellent synopsis of the pros and cons of CA state propositions and ALL local measures. It also answers frequently asked questions about voting.

**CalMatters’ Voter Guide provides lots of impartial information about statewide propositions and candidates for office, including who’s supporting and opposing them and why.  Learn how much money each campaign raised and who were the largest donors.

CST’s Guidance on CA Propositions & Local Measures/Candidates 

**Check out our views here.

**Tax Tsunami and Your Election Ballot – CST President Willard’s address to the Marin Coalition demystified key measures on your state and local ballot – video here

Heads Up Re CA Bond Propositions

**The interest and principal repayments of bonds approved by CA propositions further draw on the state’s general fund. Absent an unexpected budget surplus, additional taxes or cuts other state-funded programs will be necessary to meet the bond obligations.

CST’s Tax Calculator Helps You Do the Math

Find Out What Each Proposed Local Property Tax Measure Costs YOU. CST’s new tax calculator determines how much YOUR property tax bill goes up if voters approve new bond and parcel tax measures on the November 2024 ballot.

Multiple New Property Tax Measures

Many voters will see TWO new property-based taxes on their November ballot. CS’s new tax calculator handles them all.  Note that parcel taxes often offer senior exemptions whereas bond tax measures may not under law.  Here are bond and parcel taxes on Marin November ballots:

**Tam Union HS District Measure B -$289 million in bonds costing  $579 million with interest per official, legally-required estimates. Tax adds about $180 per $1 million property assessed value.

** Kentfield-Greenbrae school district Measure E; $48 million in bonds costing taxpayers $96 million with interest. Tax adds about $290/ $1 million assessed value.

** Town of Fairfax Measure J : $18 million in bonds costing taxpayers $40 million with interest.  Tax will be approximately $300/$1 million of property assessed value.

** City of San Rafael Measure P – 30 year parcel tax assessed at $14.50/building square foot (with a cap) with senior exemption offered.

** Sausalito Marin City School District Measure G –  8 year parcel tax assessed on building square footage (with a cap). Low income senior exemptions offered.

** Bolinas-Stinson School District Measure C – 5 year flat parcel tax with senior exemptions. $390 in year 1, increasing 3% annually.

Hidden Taxes: How Much You Are Already Paying?

After calculating how much your tax bill will go up, add that to the amount you are ALREADY paying each district and jurisdiction.  Some districts have, or are about to have, multiple bond and parcel taxes on your tax bill. When you vote for another tax, it’s useful to know how much you already pay that district or agency. This is hidden information that can be hard to find.  For example, your paper property tax bill combines all the taxes for K-8, high school and community college bonds into ONE entry. You should examine that breakdown before voting on the latest measure. Follow this link and then enter your parcel number found on you paper tax bill to get the expanded view. If you can’t find your parcel number, phone the Assessor’s office at 415-473-7215.

CST’s Calculator Does Not Include Sales Tax Measures – If you know roughly how much you spend on taxable goods and services annually, you can calculate yourself what a sales tax hike will cost you. Mill Valley is proposing a 1 percentage point increase in its sales tax; Novato is asking for a 0.75 percentage point hike.

Don’t Let Your Mail-in Ballot Be Disqualified for Late Delivery

All vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day AND delivered to the Marin Election Department by November 12, 2024.   CST recommends posting your ballot no later than Saturday November 2. That’s because all Marin ballots travel to San Francisco to get postmarked and sorted, then return to Marin.  With high mail volume during the election period, there can be a delay resulting in your ballot being rejected.

Drop Boxes & Vote Centers Are a Great Alternative to Mailing

Drop your ballot at a Vote Center or Drop Box no later than 8PM on Election Day November 5.  Vote Centers provide any assistance you may need.