Measure H Shy of Two-Thirds Majority

Updated 1:01 a.m.

The mood at the New Haven Teachers Association office Tuesday night was less festive than it was last May.

Last year, when the New Haven Unified School District was pushing Measure B, district officials, teachers, youth and community supporters were gathered in hopes of what they were sure would be a win. Then the election results trickled in — , followed by a recount and, later, officially deemed .

This Tuesday night, only few were present at the NHTA headquarters, waiting in nervous anticipation of the results in the election for , New Haven’s rebooted parcel tax measure. By 9:45 p.m., only NHTA President Charmaine Banther and two teachers were left.

“We’re nervous,” said NHTA President Charmaine Banther, who chaired the Measure H committee, said before the election Tuesday night. “Getting two-thirds of the vote is hard to do.”

Though results are not yet official, all 36 precincts had reported by 12:55 a.m. on Wednesday morning. The measure received 62.29 percent of the votes in its favor, which is still shy of the required two-thirds majority.

Earlier Tuesday night when only less then half of the precincts had reported, Banther remained hopefull Measure H would pass.

“If it doesn’t, it won’t be school as we hoped, but we’ll figure something out. We always do the best we can for our kids,” she said around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Regardless of the ultimate outcome, Banther thanked those who had campaigned, volunteered and supported the measure.

“Our community has been so supportive, and we’ve had parents and teachers and students all working for the same cause and that’s to make sure our children have what they need for next year,” Banther said.

If passed, Measure H would “support high-quality local elementary, middle and high school education, to prepare students for college and careers with outstanding core academic programs in reading, writing, math and science, with highly qualified teachers and classified staff,” according to the ballot statement.

The measure would levy a $180 per parcel tax for a period of four years, beginning July 1, 2012 and ending June 30, 2016.

If approved, the measure would raise $3 million for the school district each year, according to the ballot statement.

The school district currently faces $10.7 million in cuts for the 2012-13 school year, with if state voters don’t approve Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax plan in November.

As a precautionary measure, New Haven issued for teachers and classified staff earlier this year and is planning to increase class sizes and eliminate elementary school specialists and middle school electives.

On top of that, the district cut the school year by five days this year with a total of six unpaid furlough days for staff. Three additional non-student days are planned for the 2012-13 school year, adding up to a total of nine unpaid days for staff.

Banther said the teachers association has developed two scenarios for what next school year may look like — one if Measure H passes, the other if Measure H fails.

If Measure H were to pass, then some of the cuts the district faces may be mitigated. But Banther couldn’t speak on the alternative yet.

“We’re hopeful that measure H passes because the other [scenario] is quite grim,” Banther said.

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