Measure A will decide on the taxes of Piedmont residents and affect citizens due to a substantial change in the amount paid.

According to the Measure A for Piedmont schools website, the measure will be replacing the current tax Piedmont citizens are paying.

The website also states that Measure A will set a tax for each individual property owner starting at $2,406 per parcel regardless of property size or whether one is a residential or commercial property owner.

Doug Ireland and Katie Korotzer are the co-chairs of this measure.

“The parcel tax has existed for 28 years and has been approved by the required two-thirds majority seven times over that period” Ireland said.

This measure is needed because the current tax is set to expire.

“With the funds to supplement state funds, the district should be able to maintain the existing high quality education being offered without disruption” Ireland said.

Measure A will continue funding for comprehensive programs in english, the social sciences, math, science and technology, attract, train, and retain highly qualified teachers, keep textbooks and instructional materials up-to-date.

The measure will also continue funding for music, visual and performing arts programs, continue providing advanced educational programs that help our students get into competitive colleges, as well as keep instructional technology in the classroon up-to-date, according to their website.

“It is relevant to Piedmont students because the Parcel Tax provides 9.5 million dollars worth of funds every year to the school district and those funds pay for the AP classes,” Korotzer said.

If Measure A were to not pass, class sizes would increase, specialized instruction in math, science, reading and writing will be reduced, many honors and advanced placement courses that prepare our students to attend the competitive colleges will be eliminated, and school counselors and librarians will be cut, according to their website.

“There would be an immediate impact if the Parcel Tax did not pass” Korotzer said. “Jobs would be lost, we would lose funding for employees and teachers within the whole district, and we would have to find out how to pay for counseling and AP classes.”

There are many seniors who will be able to vote in March and their vote will impact the results.

“Every vote counts,” Korotzer said. “We have to get two-thirds majority vote to pass the measure.”