Updated: LIVE ELECTION RESULTS: Los Gatos School Tax Measure H Passes

Update: 9 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6: Loma Prieta Joint Union Elementary School District Superintendent Corey Kidwell was elated this morning with passage of Measure H during Tuesday's election by 76 percent of the votes.

"We're very pleased with the overwhelming support of the community to pass Measure H. I'm just so grateful to the entire Mountain community who has endorsed the value of long-term sustainability for our schools," Kidwell said.

"It was a great team that put on heroic efforts to get this measure passed and I feel so lucky to be a part of it," Kidwell added.

In 2010, district trustees had placed a similar measure on the ballot, which failed by 19 votes. That measure would have imposed a $95 annual parcel tax on district residents.

Kidwell said the new $164 annual parcel tax approved will help primarily pay for teachers' salaries. She said district parents had been raising money to help keep qualified educators in the two schools.

"On the heels of a loss, having such a remarkable 76 percent approval in both counties just gives me a very heartfelt appreciation for this community," Kidwell said.

Kidwell said parents had been donating to pay for 25 percent of teachers' salaries in the district. "That's not a good way to run a school district," she said. "This was critically important for the long-term sustainability of our school district."

The district has 23 full-time teachers, she added.

Kidwell thanked Measure H Campaign Committee chairwoman Christina Schwabecher for helping educate district voters that "mountain schools matter," which was the campaign slogan.

The seven-year tax will take effect July 1, 2014 and will be implemented until the year 2021.

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With seven out of seven precincts reporting in Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties for Measure H, it appeared to have passed receiving 76 percent of "yes" votes and 24 percent of "no" votes.

It was the only measure on the ballot that affected about 3,700 voters in the Los Gatos/Santa Cruz Mountains whose addresses are in the Loma Prieta Joint Union Elementary School District.

Measure H, which required a two-thirds vote to pass and was put forth by the ballot by district trustees to benefit 500 K-8 students in Loma Prieta Elementary School (K-5), and C.T. English Middle School.

Measure H states:

"To support high academic achievement for local students and provide stable local funding to maintain outstanding core academic programs in reading, writing, math, and science, retain highly qualified and experienced teachers, and prepare students for an excellent high school shall the Loma Prieta Joint Union Elementary School District authorize an annual school parcel tax of $164 per parcel for seven years with independent citizens’ oversight, an exemption for seniors, no funds for administrator’s salaries and every dollar staying in our schools?"

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