The Livermore school board will meet this afternoon to discuss specifics for a parcel tax measure on the November ballot.

In Dublin, school board members plan to meet next week to finalize details for their own tax measure in November.

Officials from both districts say their school boards support placing such measures on the November ballot. The deadline to do so is Aug. 8.

The Livermore board will hold a special meeting at 4 p.m. today at the district offices, 685 E. Jack London Blvd.

Livermore's superintendent of schools, Brenda Miller, said the board will not make any decisions at today's meeting, but will discuss possible tax amounts, the length the tax measure would be in effect and what services the tax would fund if passed.

In addition to hiring Godbe Research earlier this year to do a survey gauging public interest, the district has also hired the Oakland political consultant firm of Tramutola LLC for about $45,000. Also today, the board will hear more survey results gathered by the consultants and consider sample ballot language created by the firm.

Miller said the board would meet again, on Tuesday, Aug. 5, to make a final decision on whether to place the measure on the ballot.

Livermore school board President Tom McLaughlin said trustees are looking to stay with the $120-per-year parcel tax amount approved by voters for five years in 2004, but it is not clear whether they will try for an additional


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amount to cover inflation. He said the district would try for a tax that would last five years after the current tax expires on June 30, 2010.

The survey done by Godbe, which gauged support at different tax amounts, lengths and uses, found 72 percent support for keeping the $120-per-year tax with an $18 increase for inflation. It also found 76 percent support for a tax lasting five years. Parcel taxes need two-thirds approval to pass.

Meanwhile, the Dublin school board will meet next week for a final decision on its own tax measure. The issue will be decided at the board's 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 5 meeting at district offices, 7471 Larkdale Ave.

"If it's going to happen in November, it's going to be decided next Tuesday," said Dublin school board president Denis King.

King said the board, during its July 15 meeting, approved hiring Tramutola for between $500 and $800 to do work that included examining a district-commissioned survey from Godbe and developing ballot language. A campaign committee separate from the district would hire Tramutola for the actual campaigning, which is estimated to cost between $30,000 to $40,000.

Godbe's survey gauged support for various tax amounts and lengths. The survey found a $99-per-year tax got 70 percent approval, with a five-year duration getting 71 percent support.

King said the district is looking at a tax ranging from $96 to $99 per property parcel each year. It would last five years. There would be an exemption for seniors and disabled owners for the property they live in. He said other details, such as what the tax would pay for if approved, have not yet been decided.

Reach Eric Louie at 925-847-2123 or elouie@bayareanewsgroup.com.