PUSD Goes Forward With Parcel Tax Survey

A new school year calls for new strategies, and the Pleasanton Unified School Board decided to enlist the services of a San Francisco-based consulting firm to find a way to raise money for the district.

This includes determining whether a parcel tax is feasible in Pleasanton.

In a unanimous vote, the five-member school board decided Monday night to hire TBWB Strategies/Godbe Research to find out if a parcel tax would be backed by the community.

"This is the piece we were missing last time," said Jim Ott, a schoolboard member.

Hiring the firm will cost the district $66,770 for seven months of consultant services and an 18-minute survey. The costs will be funded through the General Fund.

Charles Heath, head of the firm, said his company is being paid on a monthly basis. If the survey reveals that a parcel tax is not feasible, services can be terminated and the payment pro-rated.

Heath said the survey should be completed by early October and before the elections in November.

Trustee Jaime Hintzke said it was important to note that approving consultant services does not mean that the district has already committed to pursuing a parcel tax.

"I think it will be interesting to see [the results]," she said.

The district's last attempt to pass a parcel tax was in June 2009 when 62.7 percent of voters supported a parcel tax and 37.3 percent opposed it. The parcel tax needed a two-thirds vote to pass. That measure, known as Measure G, called for an annual $233 parcel tax for the duration of four years.

TBWB Strategies has worked with several school districts seeking parcel taxes, such as San Ramon Valley Unified School District, Cupertino Union School District, New Haven Unified School District, and San Carlos School District, according to the firm's website.

In 2009, San Ramon Valley Unified was successful in passing a $144 parcel tax for seven years, according to that district's website.

The endorsement of TBWB Strategies comes after the school district advertised for consultation services on May 11. TBWB Strategies, The Lew Edwards Group, WBC, Inc. and Tramutola were the four companies that responded by the quotation deadline of June 16.

A committee made up of district officials and representatives from the Revenue Enhancement Committee and Board of Trustees interviewed the firms on August 12, according to the district's meeting agenda. References were checked for the top two preferred companies.