Alameda Unified School District Sued Over Measure B1

From Alameda Unified School District: Three plaintiffs who have previously sued Alameda Unified School District over its parcel taxes have filed a new lawsuit alleging Measure B1 is illegal.

The measure, which is essentially an extension of the current Measure A, was passed by 74.2% of voters in a record turnout this past November.

The three plaintiffs (Nelco, Inc., Santa Clara Investors II, and Edward Hirshberg) were part of a group that also sued the district over Measure H, a parcel tax passed in 2008. In that lawsuit, the plaintiffs claimed that the measure’s differing rates for residential and commercial property owners were not “uniform” as required under state law. That lawsuit was settled in 2014.

The plaintiffs also sued AUSD over Measure A, a parcel tax passed by 68.01% of the voters in 2011, but were unsuccessful.

If the current lawsuit succeeds, it could threaten more than $12 million in revenue per year for AUSD. Those funds, which comprise the second-largest revenue stream to the district, are allocated to a wide range of programs and services, including small class sizes for grades K-3, neighborhood elementary schools, high school sports and AP classes, programs to close the achievement gap, and visual and performing arts.

“The Alameda community has shown us again and again that they value these programs and are willing to pay a parcel tax to support them,” said Superintendent Sean McPhetridge. “We are disappointed that these plaintiffs continue to try to block this funding. But we structured Measure B1 in a way that we believe is fair and legal, and we will fight for this tax, these students, and our community with determination and diligence so we can best provide for the children and families we serve.”

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