A group of citizens has drafted this language and connected with the City of Culver City and the County of Los Angeles to determine the process and procedure.  The will go on the ballot if we can secure the required number of signatures, which is 10% of the total number of registered voters in Culver City.  We are aiming for about 40% more than that total, about 4,000 signatures total.  That is a best practice in initiatives, to ensure that we have enough valid signatures when checked accounting for possible duplicates or people who are not registered to vote in Culver City. 

Recent court cases have determined that if the citizens use their constitutional initiative power to propose a statute, including a tax, the measure will become law if passed by a simple majority of voters (50%+1).  It will also require a campaign in the fall.  Be part of it!

No. Every dollar raised by this measure will be used for Culver City schools, and none of it can be taken away by the county, state, or federal government. 

Measure K was passed in 2018 and is a flat tax of $189 per parcel.  That was continued in 2024 as “Measure O” at the same rate – so just a single flat rate parcel tax has been enacted in Culver City.   The Measure K/O parcel tax is just that, a flat tax per parcel, or address. Whether you were a giant, several hundred thousand square foot studio or a small condominium, you paid the same amount. This does not seem remotely fair to us. 

So building on pioneering efforts in Berkeley and Alameda, we are proposing a “sliding” scale parcel tax on the size of the property improvements (aka the building on the parcel). This means that larger corporate owners or bigger homes will pay more, while smaller homeowners will pay less.  Whether it is called “sliding” scale or “progressive” the point is that this is the first time Culver City will move beyond a flat tax for additional local school funding. 

While Measure K/O brings in just $2.4M, the citizen’s initiative is a game changer that will bring in $18M, more than enough to close the structural deficit and provide substantial new opportunities for educational programs and all the priorities listed in the measure.

We are a group of Culver City citizens, parents with children in Culver City Unified School District (CCUSD) who are committed to ensuring that our students receive a high-quality education in a safe and supportive environment and that our city remains a highly desirable place to live and work, with above market property values. Many of us chose to live in Culver City specifically because of its strong public schools. This initiative reflects our shared commitment to protecting and strengthening that foundation for current and future families. 

We are supported by the Culver City Federation of Teachers. The Steering Committee names are listed on the “About” page, but many more parents are involved who are not listed!

You might be thinking of what was originally called Measure K, which approved a flat tax of $189 per parcel. It was originally approved by Culver City voters in 2018 and was set to expire in 2026, until Measure O was placed on the 2024 ballot to continue the same $189 flat parcel tax. That passed overwhelmingly with over 82% support and is set to continue for 8 more years until 2034. The proposed initiative is not able to repeal the existing flat parcel tax, which brings in only about $2.4 million, but we believe our initiative will make it obsolete.  There will be no need to renew the Measure K/O a third time.

As part of our ballot measure, the District shall establish and appoint a Planning and Oversight Committee composed of Culver City Unified School District parents/guardians, staff members, Culver City residents, and community members representing all school sites. 

We have heard concerns raised by other parents about oversight. We have worked hard and thought carefully to make sure this committee is more effective than many oversight committees, crucially by making sure the committee can proactively delivers its recommended annual spending plan to the district before funds are allocated in a specific year (rather than merely rubber stamping approval once funds have been allocated), to allow maximum opportunity and flexibility for the district to implement these preferences and recommendations. 

This is a balanced approach where the Planning and Oversight Committee both does advance planning and oversight, yet the District retains its legal authority on spending decisions.

While our goal is not to relitigate the past, the reality that may surprise many people is, whatever you may have thought of past school boards or administration, the senior cabinet are all new since 2024 and the current school board was elected only in 2022 and 2024.  While earlier decisions have impacted the reserves and caused impacts on the current budget, the larger issue of state under-funding of education and the current structural deficit are bigger issues that require a new response.  This citizen’s initiative addresses that bigger picture.

The school board and district will play a key role in how the funds are used. So showing up in November is important, not just to vote for this sliding scale parcel tax, but to vote for three of the five school board seats that will be up for election in 2026.

But beyond that, this is why we view our effort as so critical in the long term health of schools and our communities. Because we’re not just gathering 4000 signatures. We are aiming to build a ‘standing army’ if you will of 4000 informed and activated parents and citizens who are saying, ‘we’re gonna get to the bottom of how our schools are spending their money, we’re gonna stay informed, and if the school board doesn’t listen to us or make good faith efforts to follow the spending priorities of our community’, we’re prepared to  vote them out.

So please, even if you’re still unsure about this initiative, click our sign up form to make sure you can get our newsletter and volunteer for the “Would you like to help with school budget review/advising?” opportunity.

Yes. Seniors may apply for an exemption from this citizen’s initiative parcel tax just as they currently can from Measure O. The citizen’s initiative actually expands that exemption to include ADUs occupied by seniors. 

A homeowner may apply to exclude the ADU square footage from the taxable total if it is occupied by a senior who would otherwise be entitled to an exemption if it were a separate parcel.

November 3, 2026. 

Under the California Elections Code, there is no direct way for school district residents to organize an initiative without the participation of a municipal government. In this case, the City of Culver City will collect the funds in a separate account, then turn them over to the school district. The initiative asks the City and the District to work out an implementation agreement so that this can happen smoothly. It also will require the District to bear the election costs if the initiative succeeds on the ballot.

No. The citizen’s initiative does not restrict spending in this manner. Funds raised through the measure can be spent on existing programming and can be budgeted to replace existing general fund spending. A balanced approach sets forth goals but does not tie the hands of the district in meeting financial and educational needs.