ECE Ballot Measure Update
A Statement from Early Edge California
Tuesday was a big day for early childhood education in California, with a number of county ballot measures looking to direct money and resources to support youth development and childcare.
Below are the latest results of some of the key ballot measures throughout the state that intend to allocate funds to ECE:
The results listed below are unofficial until all provisional and absentee ballots are counted.
Alameda county – Measure A,
“Alameda County Child Care and Early Education Measure”
Unofficial Results:
64.6% “Yes” votes.
Needs 66% support votes to pass.
Thousands of provisional and mail-in ballots still need to be counted. It could take a week to get final results.
Measure A would expand access to child care and preschool for low- and middle-income families, solicited and retain child care workers, aided homeless and at-risk children — including with child abuse and neglect prevention help — and added child care spaces around the county. This would have been paid for by a half-percent sales tax lasting 30 years, to be enacted by the county of Alameda, providing about $140 million annually with citizens’ oversight, public disclosure of spending and mandatory annual audits.
San Francisco – Proposition C
“Commercial Rent Tax for Childcare and Early Education”
Unofficial Results:
50.31% “Yes” votes.
Needs 50% + 1.
Likely to be challenged in court per court ruling on whether 2/3 majority is needed or not.
Proposition C was designed to levy a tax on commercial property leases. City officials estimated that the tax under Proposition C would bring in approximately $146 million a year, with 85 percent of funds designated for childcare and education among children from birth to five years old.
Richmond/Contra Costa County- Measure E
“General Funds for Youth Services Initiative”
Unofficial Results:
75.83% “Yes” votes.
Measure E is an initiative to amend the city charter to dedicate a portion of the city’s general funds for youth programs and services. Measure E proposed a gradual increase in the portion of city funds set aside for youth, including youth from birth to age 18, transitional youth, and caretakers.
Yolo County – Measure K
Marijuana Tax
Unofficial Results:
79.14% “Yes” votes.
Measure K would impose a tax on marijuana business in unincorporated areas of the county at a rate of between 1 percent and 15 percent of gross receipts, which can be spent for criminal enforcement of illegal cultivation, early childhood intervention and prevention, youth development, rural infrastructure and for other unrestricted general revenue purposes.