Sales Tax for Gilroy Schools is Well Supported, Survey Finds

Support for a city sales tax that would provide funding for local schools is strong among Gilroyans, according to a telephone survey of 501 likely November voters conducted by the San Francisco-based consulting firm TBWB Strategies.

The firm was hired by the in May to get a reading on whether residents would support a general sales tax on the November ballot, a proposal the GUSD's Board of Education brought before the during .

According to the survey summary, the survey was conducted between June 5 and 11 with the help of the research firm EMC Research.

Residents were queried about both a quarter-cent and a half-cent general sales tax, which would generate $2.8 million or $5.6 million a year for the district for eight years.

Of those surveyed, 61 percent said they would vote yes or lean toward yes when they first heard about the half-cent tax, according to the survey documents. Sixty-four percent responded similarly when initially told about the quarter-cent tax. 

This exceeds , which requires just above 50 percent of voter approval to pass. However, a general tax would not allow funds to go directly to the school district. Instead, they would go to the city, which would allocate funds at its discretion.

Alternately, a specific tax would allow funds to go directly to the school district, but requires a two-thirds majority to pass.

The survey found that 75 percent of residents would want most or all of the tax revenue to go to schools.

According to board member Jaime Rosso, a half-cent tax would better address the district's needs in an economic climate where the district faces . The board had initially floated the idea of a full-cent tax, but decided not to pursue one with the understanding that it might prove too much for voters to support, Rosso said.

Sixty-eight percent of those surveyed agreed that improving education quality should be a top priority, even if it means raising taxes.

Democrats, renters, parents with children in Gilroy public schools, women and those under 40 were found to be most in favor of the tax. Rosso pointed out that the elderly, a sector of the population that typically does not support tax increases, also expressed favor for the sales tax.

Support is particularly high, the survey noted, among the unemployed and those facing economic hardship.

The survey found that residents generally seem to understand the financial crisis facing the GUSD and are supportive of measures to mitigate damages to local schools.  

"Gilroy voters are extremely concerned about the impact of state budget cuts on local schools, and would welcome the opportunity to address the problem with a local sales tax," a report detailing the survey results states.

TBWB recommends pursuing a half-cent sales tax.

Rosso said he believes the GUSD is the only school district working on putting a tax initiative before voters.

“Every district is handling state budget cuts in different ways,” he said. “When the state starts pulling back commitments to fund schools and begins to issue a lot of IOUs, we are left to fend for ourselves or simply take the cuts. That option is not acceptable to us.”

One cut the district faces, he said, is 10 less instructional school days.

The city council will hold its own study session on June 25 to discuss a tax, Rosso said, and both bodies will meet on July 17 to discuss what he calls “uncharted territory.”

The board plans to discuss the initiative during its July 19 meeting and on August 2 will make a formal vote. If all goes according to plan, Rosso said a resolution will go before the council on August 6 and a final resolution will be submitted to the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters by August 10.

What do you think about a sales tax to help support Gilroy schools? Take our poll to voice your opinion. 

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