Albany Approves New Progressive Parcel Tax
By Nyah Hartwell, Darla Lawson, Willem Loveless, & Henry Marquez-Resendez; edited by Samuel Destin & Mori Peskin
“If you own an apartment building, or if you own Target, you’re going to have to pay more because you get taxed on square footage instead of a flat amount.”
Albany voters approved a new parcel tax with 78.83 percent of the vote on March 5. The measure will be fully implemented by July 1 this year, said School Board Trustee Sadia Khan. The measure charges land owners 55 cents per square foot.
The tax followed budget cuts announced by the California Department of Education and has an effect on programs the school offers. History teacher Karen DeHart says that without the measure, the school district can’t bring in and retain the best teachers and staff, retain small class sizes, and ensure a wide variety of courses.
Measure G is a parcel tax that provides funding for science, math, reading, language programs, small class sizes, and music, art, and theater programs. The approved measure will raise an estimated 4.8 million dollars annually according to Albany Unified School District.
Social studies teacher and co-president of the Albany Teachers Association Christopher Knight said, “We already have low parcel taxes compared to other neighboring districts. If measure G didn’t pass […], we would have no salary raise. It would be really hard for our members.”
From the start of December through January, AUSD members doorknocked to spread the word about the benefits of Measure G. Teachers, students, and community members went door-to-door posting flyers and canvassing to recruit supporters who were willing to vote yes for Measure G.
Measure B, which went into effect in the summer of 2021, would have expired on March 6, 2026 but will be replaced by the new progressive tax.
“Measure B was a flat tax, so it was about $500 per [property],” Knight said “If you own an apartment building, or if you own Target, you’re going to have to pay more because you get taxed on square footage instead of a flat amount.”
Measure G will be more expensive than the previous tax for people who own more than about 95 square feet of land.
“I think the people I’ve talked to and I think this community [have] shown again and again that it values its schools and that it’s willing to both support […] their students in the classroom but also the financial support that we need to make [the] schools function,” said Knight.
Despite the immense amount of support behind Measure G, there were people against the progressive tax. The Alameda County Taxpayers Association was the only group to formally oppose the measure. However, editorials from The East Bay Times also recommended a no vote on the measure, arguing against “forever taxes” and advocating for accountability.
Science teacher and department chair Jeanne Cajina said, “I would say from what I’ve heard from the conversations I’ve had, people are worried about the tax burden. They think they’re taxed too much and that’s the argument.”
Despite the arguments against the new tax, more than three-fourths of voters approved the measure, securing funding for important school programs.
“Protecting the core educational capabilities of our schools and ensuring that all students have the services they need to reach their full potential, is the legacy of Superintendent Frank Wells,” wrote the district’s chief business official Jackie Kim in a special update released on March 15.
“We are full of gratitude both to him, and every Measure G supporter, for this precious gift.”
