Pasadena School Board to Consider Parcel Tax and Bond Measures for November Ballot This Week

[Updated] The Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education will meet Thursday to consider a parcel tax and bond measure for November 2024. The measures aim to generate funding for the District’s educational programs and facilities. The Board will review draft resolutions, focusing on proposed tax and bond amounts, project lists, and durations.

The parcel tax would impose an annual tax on District properties, with the amount and expiration date to be determined. If approved by voters, it would fund operating expenses such as teacher salaries and educational materials. The bond measure would authorize the District to issue bonds for capital projects like school renovations and technology upgrades.

The Board will scrutinize the project list, estimated annual tax rate for property owners, and expected amortization period for the bond. 

A number of additional matters fill out a lengthy agenda.

The regular meeting of the PUSD Board of Education will be held starting 4:00 p.m. in the Elbie J. Hickambottom Board Room (Room 236), 351 S. Hudson Ave, Pasadena. The full agenda is online at pusd.us/board.

The Board will also vote on resolutions recognizing events and honoring groups within the District. These include National Foster Care Month (Resolution 2753), Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month (Resolution 2756), Day of the Teacher (Resolution 2754), and Classified Employee Week (Resolution 2755).

The meeting will start with a closed session at 4:00 p.m. to discuss legal matters and labor negotiations with employee organizations like United Teachers of Pasadena, California School Employees Association, and Teamsters.

The public portion begins at 6:15 p.m. with comments from community members, labor union representatives, and student Board members. The Board will then consider the resolutions, ballot measures, and adopt new instructional materials for English, Spanish, and International Baccalaureate Math. This is part of the District’s effort to provide high-quality, up-to-date educational resources.

The agenda also includes routine items like approving contracts, accepting donations, and ratifying personnel assignments for classified and certificated staff. The Board will receive updates on facility modernization and repair projects, including the John Muir High School pool project and shade structure installations.

The meeting will be held at the District office (351 S. Hudson Avenue) and broadcast live on cable and online. Spanish and American Sign Language translation services will be available. The decisions made will shape the future of Pasadena Unified schools. The potential tax and bond measures could provide significant resources for new programs, staff, and facility improvements.