The Brief

Some San Gabriel Valley voters are back at the polls again this summer.

The San Marino Unified School District is asking voters to renew an annual $415 parcel tax to raise an estimated $1.6 million a year to fund programs for students, educator salaries, current class sizes, libraries and other services.

The L.A. County Registrar-Recorder mailed ballots to registered voters earlier this month and prospective voters have until May 19 to register. Election Day is June 3 and at least two-thirds of voters need to approve Measure R for it to pass.

“Ultimately, the goal of this district is to provide and continue to provide that stable, high performing, wonderful experience that our students get the benefit from,” said Stephen Choi, the district’s chief business official. “Measure R provides that fiscal stability for our district.”

The measure assesses annual tax on every “parcel” — in layman’s terms, property in the district. There are some owners who do not have to pay (more on those exemptions below).

Official title on the ballot: San Marino School District Special Parcel Tax Election- Measure R.

You are being asked: Can the San Marino Unified School District collect $415 annually from property-owners in the district by way of a parcel tax to fund programs for students, educator salaries, current class sizes, libraries and other services?

Understanding Measure R

The San Marino Unified School District serves more than 2,900 students at four schools — K.L. Carver Elementary School, W.L. Valentine Elementary School, H.E. Huntington Middle School and San Marino High School.

California distributes funding to schools based on students’ average daily attendance and provides additional funding to support low-income students, foster youth and English language learners.

Nearly 19% of San Marino Unified students identify with at least one of those three categories.

“State funding simply doesn't provide everything that's needed for a great education in San Marino,” Choi said.

Parcel taxes are one of two avenues for school districts to raise public money outside of the state’s funding formula. Most parcel taxes consist of a flat fee for each eligible property; another option sets a rate based on property size. Historically, parcel taxes are more likely than not to pass once placed on the ballot — this was true in November — and have been concentrated in wealthier school districts.

San Marino Unified voters first passed the predecessor to Measure R in 1991 and renewed the tax six times. The current iteration will expire June 30 without voter approval.

The district reports that Measure R supports 11 teaching and counseling positions. Choi said the money from the measure helps the district maintain elementary school classes of 20 to 25 students and middle and high school classes around 28 to 30 students.

California law allows elementary school class sizes of up to 32 students.

Didn’t San Marino just pass a school funding measure? 

Yes, but Measure M is different.

The $200 million bond is reserved for renovation and repair projects and unlike parcel taxes, cannot be used for employee salaries.

A bond is basically a loan that is paid back — with interest — through local property taxes.

The district estimated the bond would cost property owners that live within the school district's boundaries an average of $60 per $100,000 of assessed value each year.

How it would work

If at least two-thirds of voters approve Measure R, San Marino Unified will gain $415 from every property owner in the district.

There are several groups of property owners that can apply to an exemption including those:

• Aged 65 years or older
• Receiving Supplemental Security Income for a disability
• Receiving Social Security Disability Insurance benefits whose yearly income does not exceed 250% of the 2012 federal poverty guidelines. For example, that’s $57,625 for a family of four. 

The exemption is not automatic; property owners must submit an application in person, via email or mail to the district.

Property owners who are already exempt from paying the parcel tax will also be exempted from the renewal.

The district estimates Measure R will raise about $1.6 million a year and plans to spend the money on:

• Existing educational programs, including science and math
• Teacher and counselor retention and recruitment 
• Maintaining class sizes
• Libraries
• Technology

Who is in charge of all this money?

L.A. County collects the money and deposits it into a specific account that the district can use on “specified purposes” listed in the ballot measure:

• To support the maintenance of existing educational programs at current levels
• To retain and attract the best qualified teachers and counselors
• To maintain reduced class size
• To support academic programs in science and math
• To maintain district-wide school library services
• To prevent the elimination of teachers specializing in the area of math and science
• To maintain adequate technology systems for all students by retaining technology service technicians. 

State law requires districts to prepare an annual report on how parcel tax dollars are spent. You can view San Marino Unified’s reports online.

The most recent report is from the 2023-24 school year and lists nine elementary, science and math teachers, and a library worker, counselor and systems analyst.

What people who support the parcel tax say

San Marino Unified voters have voted to renew Measure R six times since it was first passed in 1991.

“The lion's share [of residents] have really felt that they're getting tremendous value for their dollar, whether they're property owners or renting here within the district,” said Christen Gair, chair of the committee campaigning to pass the measure.

Gair’s son is an eighth-grader at Huntington Middle School. She said he’s thrived, in part, because of the district’s rigorous math and science classes and the opportunity to participate in extracurricular programs like music, where he learned to play the tuba.

“With all the uncertainty at the state level, this source of funding just provides great continuity in terms of maintaining the academics that our community has really come to expect,” Gair said.

The governor’s most recent budget proposal includes a $12 billion deficit and delays some money for schools.

Several individuals and groups submitted an argument in favor of Measure R to the L.A. County Registrar-Recorder, including school volunteers, retired educators and the president of the San Marino Council of PTAs.

Read more:

• Arguments and endorsements from the Committee for San Marino Schools - Yes on R
• San Marino Unified School District’s website about the Measure R renewal

What critics of parcel taxes say

No individual or group submitted an argument opposing Measure R to the L.A. County Registrar-Recorder.

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association is a frequent opponent of measures that increase property taxes. The nonprofit is dedicated to upholding Proposition 13, the 1978 constitutional amendment that limited changes to California property taxes.

The association has not taken a position on Measure R, but vice president of communications Susan Shelley said voters may want to consider the total cost of the district’s parcel taxes when making their decision.

“The district is not legally permitted to use public funds to campaign for a tax increase,” Shelley said in an email. “Residents should be watchful to make sure any mailings or other advertising are informational in nature and not selectively highlighting or omitting facts in a way that amounts to campaigning.”

The association takes reports of publicly funded campaigning by email or at (916) 444-9950.

Potential financial impact

Measure R will cost property owners $415 per parcel annually starting in July 2025 for six years.

Measure R renews an existing tax, so most property owners will not see a significant change in their property tax bill. However, there is a provision in the measure that allows increases of up to 3% annually to account for inflation.

The district estimates Measure R will raise about $1.6 million a year, though the amount will vary based on the number of property owners paying the tax and the adjustments for inflation.

Property owners will also see two other existing funding measures on their bill.

Measure E: A second parcel tax first approved by voters in 2009.

• Cost: $968 a year, with exemptions for people over 65, some low-income and disabled property owners.  
• Money raised: $4 million a year.
• Purpose: Fund about 30 positions, various academic and extracurricular programs.
• Expiration: June 2027.

Measure M: A bond approved by voters in 2024.

• Cost: An average of $60 per $100,000 of assessed property value.   
• Money raised: Up to $200 million over the life of the bond. 
• Purpose: Fund facility repairs, modernization and restoration. 
• Expiration: The district estimates the tax could be collected through 2058. 

How to vote

• Residents who live within the boundaries of the San Marino Unified School District have until May 19 to register to vote. This includes San Marino and parts of East Pasadena and East San Gabriel — check your status online. 
• The L.A. County Registrar of Voters started mailing out ballots to existing registered voters on May 5. 
• Voters can mail back their ballots or drop them off at the vote center at the Huntington Middle School gymnasium starting May 24 through election day. 
  
  • 1700 Huntington Dr., San Marino, 91108
• Election day is June 3. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. The recorder must receive mail-in ballots no later than June 6, three days after election day. 

Get more information: 

• Call (800) 815-2666 to learn how to register to vote, request a replacement ballot and learn more about vote centers. 
• Fill out a sample ballot online to speed up your trip to the polls.

A pair of nesting bald eagles was spotted in Los Angeles County this past week, according to a social media post from the Department of Parks and Recreation. (You can check out the full post and video on Instagram.)

The Department of Parks and Recreation did not disclose the exact location of the birds.

Nesting bald eagles are a fairly rare sight in Southern California, since they're more commonly found close to the California-Oregon border.

A look at where bald eagles typically nest.

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Of course, there are notable exceptions, including Southern California's most famous bald eagles: Big Bear's Jackie and Shadow, whose yearly attempts at parenthood have become big national news on occasion.

Typically, bald eagles' mating season is from January through July or August, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

What to do if you're lucky enough to see them IRL

Park officials are reminding everyone that bald eagles are a federally protected species and disturbing their nests could “disrupt breeding and impact their success.”

The history

Bald eagles were once close to extinction in the lower 48 U.S. states. By the early 1970s, there were fewer than 30 pairs in California, all in the northern part of the state. The species has rebounded since being protected under federal and state laws.

What's next

It takes about 35 days for bald eagle eggs to incubate. If the L.A.'s new eagle residents lay eggs, Los Angeles could have our very own eaglets as early as next month.

Held by the Los Angeles Review of Books since 2019, LITLIT, or The Little Literary Fair, started out as a way to introduce students from workshops to the publishing industry.

It has since grown into a gathering of independent West Coast publishers from Seattle to Santa Monica. This year’s iteration on June 6 and 7 is the biggest yet, with more than 50 publishers participating in the event at Sci-Arc in Downtown L.A.

People look through a small library of used books from "A Good Used Book," a Los Angeles based book pop-up, during LITLIT 2024.

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Los Angeles Review of Books

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It’s ‘small’ lit

The fair aims to get the public in front of books that don’t originate from the so-called “Big Five” publishers — behemoths like Penguin Random House and HarperCollins.

“They really get to control what people get to see, and so we hope LITLIT lets people see more of what is out there and what they can support directly,” said Emily VanKoughnett, public programs and engagement director for LARB.

One of VanKoughnett’s favorite independent publishers will be there. Two Lines Press, the publishing arm of San Francisco’s Center for the Art of Translation, deals specifically in translated works.

Two Lines Press, which specializes in translated works, show off their books to attendees of LITLIT.

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Los Angeles Review of Books

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They’ve published authors from across the world, translating books from more than 100 different languages into English.

“ We do our work in quiet rooms, so it's really nice to be able to meet readers and talk to them about what's interesting them. These festivals are really valuable to us in that way,” said CJ Evans, publisher and editor-in-chief of Two Lines.

Pressed locally

Local favorite Angel City Press, which operates under the auspices of L.A. Public Library, will also be there with one of their newly published titles, Los Angeles Central Library POPS, that celebrates 100 years of the Central Library.

People at LITLIT 2024 look through different small presses.

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Los Angeles Review of Books

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You’ll also find LA-based Errant Press, which specializes in books that break the traditional form — like a poem printed on measuring tape or a matchbox sized poetry collection.

“It’s really cool to see the kinds of risks that people are able to take, the kinds of communities they’re able to serve and really highlight here on the West Coast,” said Irene Yoon, executive director of LARB.

Panels, printing presses, and workshops

The two-day fair also hosts various panels and workshops, including one on the art of comedic writing and another on how to tell the stories of Los Angeles through archival materials.

“This is, I think, the most panels we've ever done,” VanKoughnett said.

People sit down for a panel discussion at LITLIT 2024.

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Los Angeles Review of Books

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Workshops on how to navigate the literary world with a completed manuscript and making your own comics and zines are also on the itinerary.

And Carson’s International Printing Museum will demonstrate how to screen print your own bookmark.

“It's not until we're all in the same room with all our best books literally out on the table that you get to see kind of what a phenomenal publishing culture Los Angeles truly has,” said Terri Accomazzo, editorial director of Angel City Press.

Running a small business is tough under normal circumstances. Running one in a wildfire burn scar can feel nearly impossible.

That's the reality many Altadena business owners are still navigating nearly a year and a half after the Eaton Fire destroyed the community and the local economy. Businesses are grappling with how do you stay open when so many of your customers are gone?

At Wet Paws, a pet grooming business along Lake Avenue, that question recently came to a head.

The shop reopened in January but business remained slow. Wet Paws co-owner Stephanie Trujillo estimates the fire had displaced up to 90% of their customers.

Marley, a Cane Corso from Pasadena, went for her first grooming session at Wet Paws in more than a year.

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Josie Huang

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LAist

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Then came a conversation with their landlord several months ago that forced a decision.

"He reached out and said, 'Are you going to re-sign your lease?'" Trujillo recalled.

The answer wasn't obvious.

"I said, unfortunately, we're not even making it. We're paying out of our own pocket," she said. "So he said, 'I'll give you until June 1.'"

The deadline meant Trujillo and her mother, Linda Alashti, who have owned the business together since 2023, had only a few months to figure out whether Wet Paws had a future in Altadena.

Wet Paws is hardly alone. As businesses struggle, Los Angeles County recently launched a program offering free marketing assistance and storefront improvements to fire-affected businesses. The deadline to apply is June 8.

A flag banner and sandwich board on the sidewalk outside Wet Paws advertises its services.

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Josie Huang

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The county also operates a gift card program to encourage residents to spend money at fire-impacted businesses.

But relief has not arrived quickly enough for many businesses.

One particularly slow April Sunday at Wet Paws drove home how dire the situation had become, when they had only one customer.

As she drove home to Fontana, Trujillo began composing a social media post.

"So this isn't easy for us to share," the post began, "but I wanted to reach out with an open heart and hope."

In the message, Trujillo asked the community to book appointments and spread the word to help their business survive.

Before posting it, Trujillo showed it to her mother.

Wet Paws groomer Elizabeth Ranes takes care of a basset hound client.

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Josie Huang

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"We're very prideful, and it's very hard to ask people for help," she said. "I felt embarrassed that we had to ask the community for help."

Her mother's advice was simple. "Just post it," she told her. "The worst that's going to happen is nobody sees it or nobody cares."

Instead, the opposite happened. By the next day, the post had been viewed and shared hundreds of times across Instagram and Facebook.

The phone started ringing, said Wet Paws groomer Elizabeth Ranes.

"I got well over 50 calls," Ranes said. "We booked out for the last three weeks of the month when we made that post.”

Customers told Alashti that they “didn't know you were back, because they don't come this way anymore.”

Decor inside Wet Paws embraces a playful canine motif.

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Josie Huang

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Among those who returned was Penny Dahlstrom, a Pasadena resident whose 113-pound Cane Corso Marley had been a Wet Paws regular before the fire.

Dahlstrom had tried taking Marley to a large pet store chain while Wet Paws was closed.

"My husband went in to pick her up, and he hears crying, and it was her," Dahlstrom said. "That's not just her nature."

The social media appeal didn't just bring back former customers. It also introduced the business to new ones, Trujillo said.

But recovery remains uneven.

Some days are still slow. And the shop continues to deal with lingering fire-related electrical damage in the back of the building.

Wet Paws is operating on a temporary electrical system, limiting how much power it can use at any given time.

"If we run our AC, and the neighbors run their AC, we lose power," Trujillo said.

As the June 1 lease deadline approached, Trujillo and her mother weighed their options. They could walk away and cut their losses. Or they could commit to rebuilding alongside a community they had come to love.

Ultimately, they thought about the response to their post and the customers who had shown up when the business needed them most. And they had faith that Altadena would rebuild to its full strength.

They chose to renew the lease for another three years.

"I can't imagine what the community is going through, losing their homes and losing everything that they had," Trujillo said. "Yet they're still coming back."

And as long as they do, she said Wet Paws will be there for them and their fur babies.

On a recent Monday, students at Breed Street Elementary in Boyle Heights started their day like no other — with a tour of the murals hand-painted over the weekend across the playground.

It’s the latest of seven elementary schools in and around L.A. to get the treatment. Over 70 murals in the last 13 years, brought by a collective of artists to students in under-resourced neighborhoods with little access to art education.

“The kids were so excited,” said Stefanie Barbee, a math teacher at Breed. “Just pure joy.”

The students snaked through the paintings on handball courts and school walls: cartoon animals, bright orange flowers, a circle of meticulously painted lines. The works span genres and sensibilities.

Mural by artist hi-dutch.

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“It's grassroots. We're not getting money from anyone,” said Erik Caruso, the fifth grade teacher in Paramount who's the group glue. To them, they are just an assembly of like-minded friends — and friends of friends — who spend one weekend out of the year hanging out and painting murals for school kids.

But the collective is anything but typical. It includes artists like the late Rich Jacobs, who died from leukemia this year; Tim Kerr; pro skater Ray Barbee; and Japanese artists Yusuke Hanai and hi-dutch. The vibe's always low-key, and somehow they've managed to stay under the radar.

Mural by artist Yusuke Hanai.

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Mural by artist Yusuke Hanai.

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Sandy Yang / James Hamblin

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“The kids have no idea that they show in huge galleries or have pieces hanging in museums,” said writer Martin Wong, co-founder of the pioneering Asian pop culture magazine Giant Robot. "Or they're famous in the skateboarding scene or surf or music."

Their reward is the Monday morning after, seeing the happiness on the kids’ faces.

“The artists are waiting all weekend — it’s that moment,” Caruso said.

Mural by artists Sandy Yang and James Hamblin.

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James Hamblin was at Breed for the meet-and-greet earlier this month. He painted a mural designed by his partner Sandy Yang on one of the handball walls.

“Sandy's design is pretty abstract, so it was interesting because the kids were [asking], you know, ‘ What is it?’” Hamblin said. “It was great because I could tell them I had no idea and like, ‘What do you guys think it is?’"

Bring the art museum to the school

Erik Caruso.

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The idea came to Caruso in 2011, after he took about two dozen students from his Paramount school to MOCA and discovered that only four had ever been to an art museum.

“I wonder if there's a way we can bring the art museum to the school,” he said.

Caruso, a 24-year veteran, was no stranger to bringing art — and artists — directly to his students. In 2009, he launched a monthly art project for fifth graders that culminated in a year-end show where they met and shared work with living contemporary artists.

Caruso's 5th grade art project, featuring works by artist Tim Kerr.

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The murals were next.

They painted their first ones at his school in 2012. Soon, the project expanded to the rest of Los Angeles.

Crew at work

Mural by artist Chris Johanson.

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Operation Creative Freedom

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Operation Creative Freedom

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Mural by artist Chris Johanson.

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Operation Creative Freedom

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Operation Creative Freedom

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The painting takes place between Friday and Sunday, but planning takes months.

At Breed, the connection was made through math teacher Barbee — wife of Ray — who is on a two-year stint at the Boyle Heights school to help students catch up on the subject.

“I had sort of planted that seed that at some point I would love for a school I was working at to be the recipient of the beautiful work,” she said.

Breed Street Elementary in Boyle Heights.

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Sandy Yang / James Hamblin

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She brought Caruso out for a site visit last September.

“He has a really amazing kind of vision about where to place the artists … based on just their artwork and where it is in relation to the street view,” Barbee said.

Next came an introduction to the principal and the approval process.

“One of the biggest challenges with what we are doing is, you know, they want flipping dolphins and stuff like that,” Caruso said. “But we want to cross over into fine art pieces.”

Mural by artists Lookout & Wonderland

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Mural by artists Lookout & Wonderland

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Paying it forward

Caruso estimated that as many as 40 artists and musicians have joined the effort.

The core group now, he said, is about 11 people, and friends and families often tag along to help out, given they have just 16 hours over three days to finish the job.

Mural by artist Oitama.

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Sandy Yang / James Hamblin

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Mural by artist Lori Damiano.

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Operation Creative Freedom

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Among the regulars: Wong and his wife, Wendy Lau, who once organized DIY punk shows to fund music education at their daughter's Chinatown school. In Caruso, they saw a kindred spirit.

Caruso later brought the collective to paint at that school and eventually invited their daughter, Linda Lindas bassist Eloise Wong, to join his fifth grade art and music project.

“All of these kids on the blacktop were all just screaming their hearts out,” Eloise said. “It's cool how Erik — Mr. Caruso to them — shows them, like, raw ways to express themselves through cool art.”