Reversing their record of nearly consistent support for school taxes, Peninsula voters late Tuesday defeated two school bonds, approved one in Millbrae and narrowly passed two parcel taxes. Across the bay in Newark, a bond measure to renovate schools squeaked by.

As Election Night wore on, success or failure hinged on a handful of votes for the Burlingame and Pacifica school districts, which were trying to mount a supermajority of 66.7 percent to pass parcel taxes. Unofficial results late Tuesday nudged both districts just over the victory line -- but uncounted ballots could change the tally.

In low-key school board races on the Peninsula and in the South Bay, most incumbents were heading toward keeping their seats, although challengers staged upsets in the Woodside and Sequoia Union High School districts. And one newcomer was leading in San Jose's Orchard School District.

Four school bond measures and two parcel taxes were on ballots on the Peninsula and in the East Bay.
By far the largest measure, the San Mateo Community College District's $564 million bond, fell short of the required 55 percent majority. Measure H would have modernized Cañada College, the College of San Mateo and Skyline College.

Opponents argued that governments are broke, that community college voters passed a $468 million bond in 2005 and a $207 million bond in 2001, and that a recession is no time for increasing taxes.

"I'm very aware that the economy is not good, and that probably has an impact on what people can and can't support," said Dave Mandelkern, a San Mateo Community College board member.


In the past two years, San Mateo County school districts have passed a dozen school taxes, including several parcel taxes requiring a two-thirds majority. The notable exception has been the Jefferson Union High School District in Daly City, whose parcel tax failed twice, even though it won 65.8 percent last November.

The community college district has benefited from voter-approved taxes. Besides the two bonds, the district last year passed a parcel tax. Mandelkern said he was grateful for voters' past support. Even as Measure H was going down in defeat, he said, "we will continue to try to provide the best education we can with the resources we have."

Another bond measure that failed was Measure O, which would have raised $40 million for the San Bruno Park School District. It got 50.76 percent of the vote. But in the Millbrae School District, 58.1 percent supported Measure N, which would raise $30 million to update equipment and classrooms. Both measures needed 55 percent to pass.

Results were close all evening long for two parcel taxes on the ballot. Burlingame's Measure E, which would raise $589,000 annually for four years with a $76 annual assessment on each property, won 67.64 percent of the unofficial final vote. Pacifica's Measure L would replace a $96 annual parcel tax with a $118 parcel tax for five years, to generate an estimated $1.2 million a year. It appeared to passed, with 68.78 percent.

In Alameda County, unofficial returns from all six precincts showed Measure G, which would raise $63 million for renovating buildings in the Newark School District, passing with only 0.77 percent of the vote to spare.

School board races

Unofficial results show:
 
Sunnyvale School District (two seats): Incumbent Nancy Newkirk retained her seat, and challenger Reid Myers won an open seat; John Mumy finished third.


  • Orchard School District in San Jose (two seats): Newcomer Katherine Kasolas-Jacobson and incumbent Sheryl Shirley finished ahead of incumbent Gene Dailey and challenger Diana Nazari. But at the end of the evening, just 19 votes separated Shirley from Dailey.



  • Hillsborough City School District (two seats): Incumbent Gregory J. Dannis and challenger Margi Power defeated newcomers Steven S. Gans and Michael M. Forbes.



  • Redwood City School District (three seats): Incumbents Alisa Greene MacAvoy, Shelly Masur and Dennis P. McBride retained their seats, brushing back challenger Lea Cuniberti-Duran.



  • San Bruno Park School District (two seats): Incumbents Kevin J. Martinez and Jennifer M. Blanco were re-elected, defeating challengers Joseph Capote and Charles "Chuck" Zelnik Jr.



  • San Carlos School District (two seats): Incumbent Seth A. Rosenblatt won re-election and newcomer Adam Rak won an open seat. Challenger Peter Tzifas finished third.



  • San Mateo Community College District (three seats): Incumbents Dave Mandelkern, Patricia Miljanich and Karen Schwarz handily defeated challengers Jaime Diaz, Joe Ross and Michael G. Stogner.



  • San Mateo-Foster City School District (two seats): Incumbent Colleen Marie Sullivan kept her seat. Challenger Audrey Ng finished ahead of Fel Anthony Amistad, who had led in early tallies.



  • Sequoia Union High School District (three seats): Challengers Carrie B. Du Bois and Allen Weiner won seats, and incumbent Lorraine Rumley kept hers. Incumbent Olivia Martinez lost, as did challenger Larry James Moody.



  • Woodside School District (two seats): Challengers Kevin P.B. Johnson and Rudy Driscoll defeated incumbent Virginia (Ginger) Bamford.