Davis school district awaits results on Measure N vote

PHOTO: Source: Yolo County Elections

By Marion Delarue

BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–

Measure N, the renewal of a parcel tax for the Davis Joint Unified School District which generates $12 million for programs, is holding on to the slimmest of leads after the March 5 election.

In order to pass, Measure N needs two-thirds (2/3) of Davis Joint Unified School District voters to support it. As of March 15 the number of “yes” votes exceeded the 66.67% needed, but official certified election results are not due until April 4.

“The current report from the Yolo County elections office, which shows Measure N above the required two-thirds supermajority, gives us reason for optimism for its passage. However, there are still outstanding ballots to be tabulated and every vote counts. We expect to have a clearer picture of the status of the measure by the end of this week,” school district trustee Joe DiNunzio said.

Funding from DJUSD’s education parcel tax will expire in June 2025 and DJUSD would have to cut approximately $12 million from its annual budget, according to the Yolo County Elections office. This could lead to numerous teacher layoffs, larger class sizes and severe cuts to academic programs.

“The state isn’t able to (fully) fund us for all of our programs offered, so we need the money from parcel taxes,” Dinunzio said in a previous interview with The HUB.

Measure N would renew the expiring tax with an annual per parcel cost of $768. 

Not everyone has to pay the tax. “Homeowners aged 65 and over and homeowners who receive supplemental security income (SSI) for disability or social security disability (SSDI) benefits would continue to be eligible for an optional exemption from the cost and do not have to reapply if they already qualify for an exemption,” the Yolo County Elections Office website states.

According to the Yolo County elections office website, former California Assembly woman Helen Thomson, Davis High history teacher Kevin Williams, Davis parent Sigrid Asmundson, realtor Kim Eichorn and former DJUSD governing board member Alan Fernandes support the measure.

“Measure N makes sense for all, whether your children benefit from an exceptional public education, you are a homeowner whose home value depends on sustaining quality schools, or you believe that investing in our children is the right thing to do,” they said on the Yolo County elections office website.

Yolo County Moms for Liberty leader Elizabeth “Beth” Bourne opposes Measure N. She signed a ballot statement that reads “(Measure N) is falsely represented as a renewal. Renewal means to continue the same with the same conditions. This is a new permanent tax with unknown built-in increases every year with no cap.