Sacramento City Unified asks voters to help fund special education. What’s in the new tax?

Voters inside the Sacramento City Unified School District will decide on Measure M, a parcel tax of $95 per property each year meant to pay for special education. The district expects it to raise about $10 million annually, and it needs at least two-thirds voter support. Unlike a tax based on real estate value, this one is a flat charge per parcel. Older residents (65 plus) and certain Social Security beneficiaries would be excused from paying.

District spokesperson Brian Heap says the revenue would support earlier identification of student needs, additional social workers, psychologists and nurses, and more staff training. He says the measure is not a rescue for the budget and the district would pursue it anyway. The Sacramento City Teachers Association is leading the campaign, arguing that state and federal special education funding falls short. The district has spent over a year working on a multimillion-dollar deficit. Officials say they are on track to avoid a state loan, though some parents question its financial management.

Opponents include four parents who filed an official objection calling the tax permanent. Another group, two retired teachers and a former board member, objects that it has no end date and that the district could raise it by up to 3% each year. Voters could petition to repeal it by simple majority at any time. Education consultant Kevin Gordon says the result may show how much confidence the community has in district leaders.