Bond measure for upgrades at high schools to fail at polls

Despite narrowing the gap since initial Election Day counts, a $517-million bond measure to fund Tamalpais Union High School District campus upgrades has failed at the polls.

Some 53.8% of voters were backing Measure A on the March 5 ballot as of March 15, the latest results available at The Ark’s press deadline. About 50 ballots were untallied countywide.

Final support for the bond measure will be up from the 52% of early tallies but still short of the 55% supermajority required to pass the 30-year parcel tax on district property owners.

The money would have gone toward a variety of campus upgrades, though opponents said many plans were unnecessary and blasted district officials for not focusing on top priorities and for the $1.04 billion price tag for taxpayers after interest.

Tiburon voters were backing the measure with 56% support, though Belvedere voters were rejecting it at 53%.

Meanwhile, Belvedere residents in support of the city’s Measure C has ticked up slightly, to 78%, or 678 votes in favor to 191 against. The initiative needed only a simple majority to win.

It allows the city to increase its budget limit so it can spend voter-approved fire-tax revenue toward its annual service contract with the Tiburon Fire Protection District.

This year the tax will raise about $1.1 million, slightly more than half the $2.1 million contract cost. The rest comes from the city budget’s general fund.

Countywide turnout in the Super Tuesday presidential primary will end up among the highest in the state at 53.3% — with Tiburon lower at 51.6% and Belvedere higher at 54.8% — compared with just 33% turnout statewide.

The Marin Elections Department was to begin a hand recount of at least 1% of ballots beginning March 18. Results must be certified by April 4.

For the latest election results, visit marinvotes.org.