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Facilities Funding

Planning For The Future

A green and white banner describing the District. Carmel Unified School District Serves: 600+ sq mi along the Pacific Coast. Seven communities are listed as; Carmel -by-the-Sea, Carmel, Carmel Highlands, Carmel Valley, Cachagua, Big Sur, Pebble Beach.

The Carmel Unified School District has placed a General Obligation (GO) bond measure on the November 2026 ballot, which, if approved by voters, will provide funds to improve aging facilities. Building on its 2019 Facilities Master Plan, the District has identified significant facility improvements that have accumulated since its last successful bond measure in 2005. Although the District has invested nearly $3 million annually in maintenance and completed select projects using General Fund and one-time funding, many facility needs remain unmet. Following a series of Board discussions throughout 2026, including educational presentations on GO bonds, review of district-specific facility needs, and refinement of a comprehensive capital project list, approximately $258 million in priority projects have been identified and included in the measure.

Why This Matters Now

What Voters Will Be Asked To Approve

To update local schools, replace aging roofs, failing heating, cooling, ventilation, plumbing, electrical and sewer with efficient systems; improve student/school safety; repair/replace old buildings and aging portables with permanent classrooms; update $250,000,000 in bonds at legal rates, levying $36 per $100,000 of assessed value, averaging $17,700,000 annually while bonds are outstanding, with independent oversight/audits, no money for slaries, exclusively for CUSD?

A green border encloses text indicating %22$ AUTHORIZATION%22 and %22$250M maximum principal%22 on a white background.

What Would It Cost Homeowners?

If the Board places a bond on the November 2026 ballot at the size currently under discussion, the estimated tax rate is shown below.

A green border frames text indicating an estimated average tax rate of $36 per $100,000 of assessed value per year, set against a plain white background.

This rate is well below the maximum rate allowed by California law for a unified school district, which is $60 per $100,000 of assessed value.

What does $36 per $100,000 actually mean for me?

The bond tax is based on your home's assessed value, not its market value. Assessed value is the figure the County Assessor uses for your property tax bill. Under Proposition 13, assessed value usually rises slowly over time and is typically lower than what a home would sell for today.

Fiscal Stewardship

Carmel Unified is in an excellent position to issue general obligation bonds to improve its facilities. The District holds a AAA credit rating, the highest rating issued by S&P, a national credit rating agency. 

A green and white card displays %22RATING AAA%22 in large font, with smaller text below explaining it's the highest credit rating from S&P, set against a plain white background.
A green border encloses text about a %22LAST BOND%22 from 2005, with details about repayment and project completion on a white background.