CST Recommendations: November 2024 Marin, Bay Area, and State Tax Measures

Marin Measures


Fairfax road bond – $30/$100K assessed value – Big new tax on same ballot as TUHSD bonds. Ross Valley School District parcel tax coming soon too.

→Vote NO

Novato FOREVER sales tax – increase of 0.75%

→Vote NO

Kentfield School District Bond – $30/$100k assessed value. This will be KSD’s THIRD bond outstanding, funding a laundry list of deferred & future maintenance.

→Vote NO

Sausalito-Marin City School District parcel tax – Needed & fair: $0.15 per building area sq ft, 8 years

→Vote YES

Mill Valley sales tax – 10 year increase of 1.00% for infrastructure

→Vote YES

Tam Union HS District facilities bond – $249MM retry at $18/$100K assessed value

→Neutral. Lower tax than 1st try. Reversing academic slide would be better use of $.

San Rafael Library & community facilities parcel tax – 30 years. $0.145/sq ft of improved property. Needs only 50%+1 to pass. Worthy project but evaded need for 2/3 approval by paying initiative signature gatherers.

→Neutral.

Bay Area Measures


RM4 Bay Area “Unaffordable” Housing bond – 53 years! – Levy averages $19/$100K assessed value annually but peaks at $34/$100K

→DEFEATED with our help!   Measure withdrawn amid voter backlash & lawsuits

State Ballot Propositions


All Require Simple Majority to Pass

Proposition 5: Unleashes a tax tsunami. Lowers hurdle to pass most local bonds to 55% from 2/3.

Vote NO: Making it easier to pass new taxes fuels a tax money grab. This worsens CA’s affordability crisis. Prop 5 removes taxpayer protections; expect other blows to follow.

PROP 5’S PASSAGE WOULD UNLEASH A DRAMATIC SURGE IN NEW TAXES

Proposition 2: Borrow $10 billion to build schools. After cutting school funding, legislature proposes borrowing to pay for construction and modernization.

Vote NO: Adds $1/2 billion yearly to expenses of CA general fund (currently in deficit). Requires local matching funds, increasing the tax burden and favoring wealthy districts.

Proposition 4: Borrow $10 billion for climate programs. A jumble of projects many of which don’t build or repair long-lived assets.

Vote NO: Issues $10 billion in debt to offset $9.4 billion in current year cuts to CA’s Climate Crisis program owing to state budget deficits. Costs $400MM/year for 40 years.

Proposition 33: Allow local governments to impose rent controls. Reverses state law preventing cities & counties from controlling rents on properties occupied post 2/1/95.

Vote NO: Rent control reduces property values, available rentals & housing construction. Lower property tax revenues (per LAO) will prompt other tax hikes.

Future Measures Being Developed:


Bay Area Housing Bond 2nd try – 2026 – specifics TBD

Bay Area Regional Transportation tax – 2026 – specifics TBD

Marin Health Hospital bond – $24/$100K?

Ross Valley School District parcel tax increase – per square foot

SMART sales tax renewal – using citizen initiative route (50%+1)

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority parcel tax renewal – per square foot