Voters in Long Beach Unified and a few other area school districts will go to the polls Tuesday.
The Long Beach Unified school board is asking voters to pass Measure T, a temporary parcel tax that would provide revenue to the school district with the goal of offseting some of the losses caused primarily by state cutbacks.
The initiative would assess properties $92 annually for five years with the goal of raising about $12.5 million a year toward a two-year, $95 million budget shortfall.
Senior citizens age 65 and older could apply for an annual exemption to the levy.
Measure T requires a two-thirds vote to pass.
Proponents believe Measure T could help offset potential teacher layoffs and help pay for smaller class sizes, preserve college-prep courses in English, math and science, protect arts and music programs and save after-school and gang-prevention programs.
Opponents, however, point to tax increases already passed in the LBUSD to finance building improvements and argue that these are not the economic times to put added financial pressures on property owners.
Though renters are not required to pay the tax, some landlords could conceivably pass costs on to tenants without fixed leases.
As this is a special election, the parcel tax is the only measure on LBUSD ballots. The school district includes Long Beach and Signal Hill as well as sections of Lakewood and other communities.
In other school elections, voters will select three new trustees in the Cerritos Community College District and fill three seats each on the ABC, Bellflower and Paramount Unified school boards.
Artesia voters will consider raising their transient occupancy, or hotel, tax from 6 percent to 12.5 percent.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, or to find a polling place, visit www.lavote.net
