The San Diego Unified Board of Education will consider today how much it would tax district residents in order to offset several years of state budget cuts. It’s part of a plan for a new parcel tax.
The San Diego Unified District wants to place a parcel tax on the November ballot.
The money raised would go directly into the school district and pay for the day-to-day costs of classroom instruction.
Trustees are considering two options -- both of which would charge property owners different fees based on the different kinds of properties they own.
Single-family homes would pay a flat fee of $98 a year. Owners of commercial and industrial properties could pay up to $25,000 a year.
Bernie Rhinerson is a district spokesman who downplays criticism of the proposed tax as unfair.
“The proposal that is before the board is set at a level that is low enough so that it is affordable to most families and owners of real estate,” Rhinerson said.
San Diego Unified's parcel tax is expected to raise $58 million a year for five years. The money would go toward teacher salaries, math and science education and technology.
