No on Novato Measure G: funding without a long-term plan isn’t enough
I’m voting no on Novato’s Measure G, and I wanted to share why in a way that is hopefully useful to other local voters.
I’m not anti-school, anti-teacher, or anti-public education. I’m a long-time Novato resident, a K-12 product of Novato schools, and I currently have a TK-5th age child. I care very much about whether Novato has strong schools.
But I don’t think Measure G is the right answer.
Measure G would add a new $249 per parcel per year tax for 8 years. That is not replacing the existing NUSD parcel tax. It would be added on top of the $251 parcel tax voters renewed in 2023, which continues regardless of whether Measure G passes. Together, that would bring the NUSD parcel taxes to about $500 per parcel per year.
The district also has bond repayment from the $222 million school bond approved by voters in 2016. Of the $1,207 over both installments for 25-26, Novato USD is receiving $960.36. The rest goes to bond financing. So, for the total for 2025-2025 property taxes, we paid $1,458 including bond finance costs to NUSD. The only higher charge on property taxes is the actual basic tax.
So from a homeowner’s perspective, this is not just “$249.” It is another layer added to an existing parcel tax and existing school bond obligations.
I understand that costs have gone up. I also understand that declining enrollment means less state funding. But declining enrollment is not just a revenue problem. It is also a planning problem.
Before asking property owners for another parcel tax, I think NUSD should be showing the public a much clearer long-term plan for:
• Declining enrollment
• Campus utilization
• Whether we have too many campuses for the number of students now enrolled
• Possible consolidation options
• Whether more TK-8 campuses, like Hamilton, should be considered
• Administrative costs
• Better use of district-owned property and assets
I keep hearing that these issues are complicated. I believe that. School consolidation is hard. Facilities planning is hard. Budget cuts are hard. But “it’s complicated” is exactly why voters deserve a clear, public-facing plan before being asked to approve another tax.
If the district has already done the analysis, then it should be easy for voters to find and understand. If consolidation will not save enough money, show us. If TK-8 models are not feasible beyond Hamilton, show us. If district-owned property cannot meaningfully help the budget, show us. If administrative costs cannot be reduced, show us.
What I don’t want is another parcel tax that temporarily fills a budget gap while allowing the district to avoid the harder structural decisions.
I support students. I support teachers. I want strong public schools in Novato. But I also want planning, transparency, and accountability.
For me, Measure G does not meet that standard, so I’m voting no.