In 2016, Fremont voters approved Measure I, a $73 annual parcel tax for residents in the Fremont Unified School District (FUSD), but in June of 2025, this tax expired.
Measure I, which was passed in 2016, was meant to finance school operations, generating steady funding for the district. According to James Arcala, the district’s funding director, “Measure I generated approximately 4.5 million dollars every year, and helped the district fund a number of positions.” This tax included fiscal accountability protections, such as an Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee and an annual audit, which prohibited the use of funds for administrator salaries or pensions.
Funding generated by Measure I funded the positions of Library Media Technicians (LMTs), campus supervisors, and elementary school teachers. Now that the measure has expired, funding for these positions is provided by unrestricted general funds. This has led to a number of budget cuts.
Ms. McAuley, one of the school librarians, explained, “Fremont used Measure I to fund a number of things, including the LMT jobs.” When the measure ended, many jobs and positions were cut. Ms. McAuley explained, “For example, at the high school library, we still have a full-time LMT, but at the lower level libraries, they don’t, so they had to cut their hours.”
To replace the lost funding, the district has begun to survey Fremont residents about proposing another parcel tax. However, this process has had some challenges. Ms. McAuley warned, “The survey was a text message that really looked like spam, so I, along with a lot of other people, deleted the message. This could lead to us not getting the support needed to pass the tax.”
Students have also voiced concern. Tanvi Sardana (11), a member of the district’s Students United for Representation to the Fremont Unified School District Board of Education (SURFBoardE), added, “There is definitely a need for the public to come forward and voice their opinion for changes to be made.”
Rishab Jain (11), who serves on SURFBoardE and the district’s Board of Education as the student board member, said the district is taking steps to move forward. “While Measure I has expired, the district is working with a consulting agency to survey residents and gauge whether they’d be open to supporting another parcel tax or bond measure. By the end of this year, we should have results to help decide the next steps,” he said.
He also pointed out a general funding issue, noting, “We’re in a really weird spot where we don’t generate enough revenue through property taxes, and we don’t really get enough money from the state either. These holes are supplemented through our community support, and this is seen in bond measures.”
As the district continues to consider its options, the future of the positions supported by Measure I depends on the voice of Fremont voters and their willingness to approve further funding.
