Measure K Ahead in Early Results

As the first election results begin to roll in, the mood at Bruno’s Barbecue, the site where Measure K supporters are gathering for the night, was one of excitement.

The first results from mail-in ballots were posted at 8:08 p.m. and had the educational parcel tax ahead by 72.23 percent, with just 2,114 votes counted. By 10:24 p.m. more results were posted that show the parcel tax ahead by 72.49 percent.

“Everyone was on pins and needles, but everyone felt good,” said Derek Timm of Save Our School Scotts Valley of the mood at the beginning of the night. “And then when the first results came in there was a big cheer.”

The parcel tax that would be for $48 annually per parcel and last for three years would bring approximately $350,000 annually to the cash-strapped Scotts Valley schools.

Timm and SOSSV members, who include parents, grandparents, teachers, and other community members, have been campaigning tirelessly for several months to get the word out to the approximately 12,500 voters in Scotts Valley about the need for the tax.

While waiting for more results to come in, the group discussed all of their hard work and how it seems to be paying off.

Scotts Valley parent Michele Snyder said she and her daughters 15, 13, 10 and 9 were out campaigning this morning and the young girls made up a chant that really hit home for those trying to get Measure K passed.

“Vote today on Measure K. Save our teachers let them stay,” the girls chanted.

Timm said that if the measure doesn’t pass it would be deflating but that he has no regrets about how the campaign was handled.

“I feel like everyone worked so hard,” Timm said. “We left it all on the field. We did our best and I don’t have any regrets about anything we did. I feel like we gave 100 percent.”