Schools will have to look for new funding sources after Prop. J defeated

By City News Service

San Diego Unified School District officials on Wednesday will have to begin looking for other ways to balance the books, with voters rejecting a proposed parcel tax on all properties within the district’s boundaries.

Proposition J would have imposed a $98 annual levy on homeowners, $60 for each unit of multi-family housing and $450 on commercial/industrial properties.

The measure would have directed $150 per pupil to individual schools.

The rest of the money would have gone to cap K-3 class sizes at 24 students, pay for science and technology programs and improve technology education.

Supporters said the parcel tax would provide a consistent stream of local funding that can’t be affected by the whims of Sacramento legislators.

The SDUSD faces an estimated $141 million budget shortfall next year.

Proposition J was withdrawn by board President Richard Barrera in July because of potential conflicts with another ballot measure to raise the sales tax in the city of San Diego. That measure, Proposition D, also failed to garner enough support.