Frequently asked questions
What will Measure ES do?
The measure would establish a permanent and consistent local funding mechanism to protect Santa Monica’s students, teachers, and public schools through a parcel tax. This funding will replace the City’s $12 million allocation to our schools—money which has allowed SMMUSD to maintain academic excellence despite ongoing education cuts from the state and federal governments.
Per the terms of the measure, these dollars can only be used in the classroom and not allocated for new construction or administrator salaries.
Why is Measure ES necessary now?
The City's school funding agreement is voluntary rather than legally required, so there is no guarantee it will continue beyond 2027. Once the agreement expires next year, we cannot rely on the City Council to renew it due to tough budget decisions it will have to make.
The City's fiscal condition has changed dramatically. In 2025, it declared fiscal distress due to declining revenues, extraordinary legal settlement obligations, and the lingering financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Palisades Fire.
What happens if Measure ES doesn't pass?
Without this measure, the District could be forced to eliminate as many as 73 teaching positions and reduce or eliminate programs serving disadvantaged students, early childhood education, and art, music, and math instruction after the City's current funding agreement expires in 2027.
Can't we wait and see if the City Council decides to extend the agreement with our schools once it expires?
Waiting creates a real risk to our children as there is no assurance that a future City Council will be willing to, or have the funds to, renew the agreement.
Additionally, a citizens’ initiative, which only requires a 50% plus one percentage to win, will likely be a thing of the past due to the Jarvis/Coupal initiative, also on the November ballot. It states that subsequent city and school district tax measures will require 2/3 voter approval to pass. This will make it much more difficult to pass a local funding measure like this one.
If Measure ES passes, will the public still have access to SMMUSD’s fields, playgrounds and other facilities?
Yes. While current $12 million agreement with the city—the Master Facilities Use Agreement (MFUA)— does include a clause about public access to these school facilities, public access is protected by the California Civic Center Act, originally passed by the State in 1917 and amended multiple times since. It designates public school facilities and grounds as civic centers, allowing community, recreational, and youth organizations to use campus spaces. Under Education Code Section 38134, school boards must make facilities available for specified civic purposes and can charge user fees capped at direct costs.
Additionally, to address this concern, the SMMUSD School Board passed a resolution this Spring to continue public access to facilities regardless of the success of this measure. All that remains is for the City and SMMUSD to negotiate a new agreement delineating which agency is responsible for permitting uses, collecting fees and opening facilities. Given the City has a dearth of park space per the Quimby Act, it has every incentive to continue its relationship with the district regarding public use of school assets.
Who benefits from Measure ES?
Strong public schools benefit the entire community. They help support property values; make Santa Monica more attractive to families, employers, and businesses; and produce better educational outcomes which are associated with lower crime rates, higher lifetime earnings, and stronger local economies.
What is the source of ES funding?
The source of funding will be an annual parcel tax paid by property owners for each property they own within the City of Santa Monica. Per Measure ES, the tax will be $495 per parcel—which several categories of exemptions (see below). The City is legally required to transfer those funds annually to SMMUSD.
How do we know the money will stay in Santa Monica and be used appropriately by the School District?
The City will be legally required to give all revenue from Measure ES to the Santa Monica-Malibu School District. The state or federal government cannot take away these funds, nor is the money contingent on future state or federal education funding.
There will be third-party financial oversight to evaluate the School District’s annual expenditures of the Parcel Tax monies received by the district.
How much will renters pay?
The estimated cost per rent-controlled unit will be about 12 cents a day, if that, depending on the allowable passthrough on surcharges by property owners for education, stormwater, and beaches and ocean. This will include the surcharge for the parcel tax, if Measure ES passes. This is a small price to pay for the benefits we will get by keeping our schools strong, especially since rent-burdened tenants with families cannot afford private schools.
How much will homeowners pay?
$495 per parcel of taxable real property located within the City of Santa Monica, which comes out to $1.36/day to preserve the quality of Santa Monica’s public schools.
Who is exempt from paying the parcel tax?
-
Senior citizens (age 65 or older) who reside in the property as a primary residence
-
Non-profit organizations with 501(c)(3) status
-
An Affordable Housing Development Project, as defined in the measure, if certain requirements are met
-
Religious organizations or schools that are exempt from property taxes