FAQs

2. Houses are really expensive in Burlingame, why is it that Burlingame has so little general property tax revenue per student?

 

Since Proposition 13 passed in 1978, property tax revenue is based on assessed values, not the current market values, and re-assessments only occur upon a sale or some types of improvements or transfers. So there are many homes, apartment buildings and commercial properties in Burlingame that while quite valuable, have very low assessed values. Additionally, as compared to some districts such as Woodside or Hillsborough, Burlingame has a large number of students relative to the sum of the assessed value of all properties in the city.

 

3. What is the difference between a local government initiative a Citizens’ Initiative?

 

A local government entity, such as the Burlingame Elementary School District board of trustees, simply with a vote of the 5 Trustees, can place a tax measure on the ballot, no signature gathering among citizens is needed. In contrast, in a Citizens’ Initiative, one to five registered voters in the district are proponents and gather the signatures of 10% of the registered voters, and after verification of those signatures, the measure is placed on the ballot.

 

4. Why is a Citizen’s Initiative process being pursued to implement the Burlingame Quality Education Protection Measure?

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The Citizens’ Initiative has the unique benefit that only majority approval (50% + 1 vote) is required in order to pass, as opposed to the 2/3rds requirement for such a measure proposed by the board of trustees.  A 50% threshold is significant. In San Mateo County, since 2008, there have been 61 school district parcel tax measures, all 61 achieved more than a 50% voter approval, 49 passed with a 2/3rds super majority, and the average was 70% with a standard deviation of 5.5%. 

 

5. Are there limitations of the Citizens’ Initiative?

 

As a citizens’ initiative, it will be important to keep in mind:

 

​How Districts Support Citizen Initiatives

•Provide strictly informational materials to the public about citizen initiatives through communication channels that the District normally uses to relay information to the public.

•The Board can adopt Resolutions supporting or opposing citizen initiatives at regularly scheduled open meetings where the public may express its views. However, Resolutions cannot urge voters to take any action, and the language of Resolutions must be simple, measured, and informative.

•District employees and Board members may volunteer and engage in political activity as private citizens. Such activity cannot be during work hours, and volunteers cannot hold themselves out as representing the district.

 

How Districts Cannot Support Citizen Initiatives

•Use public funds or resources to oppose or support any citizen initiatives.

•Produce or distribute anything that advocates or urges voters to vote for or against an initiative.

•Use staff time, materials, equipment, facilities, or district communication channels to attempt to persuade voters to vote for or against an initiative.

 

6. Most parcel tax measures raise a fixed dollar amount per parcel, why is this measure a tax of $0.08 per square foot instead?

 

In terms of how best to raise the funds, options included: 1) a per-parcel tax, like Burlingame Measure L, which passed in 2014 and charges $256 per parcel; 2) an additional percentage tax on assessed value; or 3) a per-square-foot parcel tax. Studies of per-square-foot-based parcel taxes versus other parcel taxes that were reviewed suggest that voters are most inclined to vote in favor of per-square-foot-based parcel taxes. The per-square-foot approach to school funding has successfully been approved by voters in nearby districts including Berkeley, Emeryville, Alameda, Piedmont, and West Contra Costa County.​

 

A parcel tax consisting of $0.08 per building square foot on the estimated 24 million taxable building square feet in Burlingame would provide approximately $3,100,000 in annual funding and would be supported approximately 55%  by commercial and multi-family property owners and 45% by single family residential property owners. The same per-square-foot tax rate must be applied to both commercial and residential building square footage to conform to statutory tax uniformity requirements. In contrast, Measure L, is funded ~80% by single family residential property owners. 

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7. How much does it cost the Burlingame School  District to Place an initiative on the ballot?

 

The costs vary depending if the measure is part of a general election ballot, such as the March 5, 2024, presidential primary election, or if the measure is a stand-alone item in a special election.  If a school district measure is on a general election ballot then there is cost sharing with the state and county, making the district cost roughly $1.75 to $3 per registered voter. BSD has 19,659 registered voters, so this would be roughly $34k to $59k. The costs to the district for a special election are higher. On May 2, 2023, the Millbrae Elementary School District conducted a special election to renew and raise its parcel tax. The Millbrae school district has 15,330 registered voters and the election cost $233,173.21 or roughly $15.21 per voter. Using that election as a benchmark, a special election for this Burlingame School District measure might cost, $15.21 x 19,659 or roughly $299k. Note the costs to the District are the same whether a measure is placed on the ballot by the board of Trustees or by Citizens via a Citizens' Initiative. 

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7. How has inflation affected what the BSD parcel tax revenue can fund since Measure L passed in 2014?

 

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