Voter Guide
Measure W in Walnut Creek: what voters should know (2026)
A $168-per-year parcel tax for eight years, on the November 3, 2026 ballot for the high school district Walnut Creek shares with Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda.
- Page status
- Published
- Last updated
- 2026-09-25
- Sources
The question I started with
“What is Measure W, what would it cost me, and what would it pay for?”
The short answers
If you only have a minute before you vote, this is the whole picture.
- What is Measure W?
- Measure W is a parcel tax on the November 3, 2026 ballot, placed there by the Acalanes Union High School District — the district that runs Walnut Creek's high schools.
- How much would Measure W cost?
- $168 per parcel per year, flat, for eight years, with no inflation increases.
- Who can be exempt?
- Homeowners 65 and older who live in their home, and certain SSI/SSDI recipients, would be eligible to apply. Exemptions are not automatic.
- Is Measure W the same as Measure L?
- No. Measure L was a Walnut Creek School District measure for TK-8 and it failed on June 2, 2026. Measure W is a different district's measure for grades 9-12.
The ballot question
This is the exact question voters will see on the November 3, 2026 ballot.
“Shall the measure supporting high-quality education in local high schools by: attracting/retaining highly qualified teachers; continuing advanced academic programs in science, technology, engineering, math, and arts that prepare students for success in college and careers; maintaining manageable class sizes with Acalanes Union High School District levying a $168 parcel tax for eight years, with senior exemptions, citizens' oversight and independent audits, providing $6,000,000 annually in local school funding that cannot be taken by the State, be adopted?”
Measure W in four numbers
Measure W is a parcel tax placed on the November 3, 2026 ballot by the Acalanes Union High School District board. It is the district that runs Las Lomas, Acalanes, Campolindo, and Miramonte high schools.
- Amount
- $168
- per parcel, per year, flat
- Duration
- 8 years
- no inflation escalator
- Election
- Nov. 3, 2026
- two-thirds vote required
- District
- AUHSD
- grades 9-12, not WCSD
At roughly 33,000 parcels, the Yes on W campaign estimates the measure would raise about $5.5 to $6 million a year for the district. The official AUHSD ballot text is the source of record; where numbers here come from campaign material, they are labeled as such.
Who pays, and who can be exempt
A parcel tax is a flat charge per parcel of property. It does not scale with home value, so a small condo and a large house on separate parcels pay the same $168.
Senior exemption
Homeowners 65 and older who occupy their property would be eligible to apply for an exemption. Exemptions are not automatic. Eligible owners have to file an application with the district, and most districts require it once, with periodic reverification.
Disability exemption
Recipients of Supplemental Security Income for a disability, and certain SSDI recipients under income limits, would also be eligible to apply. Renters do not pay the tax directly; property owners do.
What the campaign says it would fund
This list comes from the Yes on W campaign one-pager (FPPC #1478885). It is advocacy material, attributed as such, not an independent finding.
- Advanced programs in math, science, engineering, technology, and the arts
- Career and technical education in biotech, medical and health sciences, and skilled trades
- Classroom technology, science lab equipment, and instructional materials
- Attracting and retaining qualified teachers
- Counseling and student mental health support
- Independent citizens' oversight and annual audits of the funds
The case for and against, side by side
What each side says, in its own terms.
The case for
From Yes for Our High Schools (FPPC #1478885) and the official argument in favor, signed by Matt Francois, Connie Collier, Fred Weil, Amy Worth and Dennis Fay.
- Attract and retain highly qualified teachers.
- Keep advanced STEM and arts programs.
- Maintain manageable class sizes.
- About $6 million a year in local funding the State cannot take.
- The campaign says the district has absorbed about $4 million in cuts over the past two years.
The case against
From the Contra Costa Taxpayers Association (stopmeasurew.com) and the official argument against, signed by Marc Joffe, Mark Lonergan, Robert Lavoie, Adrian Malagon and David Loofbourrow.
- Voters rejected Measure T, a $130 parcel tax, in May 2025 with 63.63% yes.
- Opponents say per-student spending roughly doubled, from $10,305 (2012-13) to $20,508 (2024-25).
- The district already collects a permanent $301 parcel tax.
- Opponents cite administrator pay, including a $446,144 superintendent salary in 2024.
- Opponents note the four high schools already rank in the top 5% nationally.
What happens if Measure W fails
A failed measure does not cut anything by itself. It means the new money never arrives.
If Measure W does not clear two-thirds, the $168 charge never takes effect, current district funding continues as it is, and the exemption never opens. The Yes on W campaign argues that AUHSD is operating with a structural deficit and that further reductions would follow. That is the campaign's characterization.
The board could also return to voters with a revised measure, which is what happened after Measure T fell short of two-thirds in May 2025.
What could change
- The official ballot question, full text, County Counsel impartial analysis, and arguments for and against are published by Contra Costa County Elections.
- Parcel counts and revenue estimates shift with the county assessment roll.
- Exemption rules and the application window are set by the district.
- Any spending plan is subject to future AUHSD board votes, not to this measure alone.
Measure W is not Measure L
These are the two most confused items on the Walnut Creek ballot, so it is worth stating plainly.
Measure L was a Walnut Creek School District measure for TK-8 schools, and it already failed on June 2, 2026, with about 64.7% yes against a 66.67% requirement. Measure W is an Acalanes Union High School District measure for grades 9-12, and it is still ahead of voters. Different districts, different boards, different ballots.
Common questions
Measure W is a parcel tax placed on the November 3, 2026 ballot by the Acalanes Union High School District (AUHSD), the separate district that runs grades 9-12 for most Walnut Creek families. It follows AUHSD's Measure T, which fell short of the required two-thirds vote in May 2025.
$168 per parcel per year, flat, for 8 years, with no inflation adjustment — roughly $5.5 to $6 million a year for the district. Homeowners 65 and older, and certain SSI/SSDI recipients, would be eligible for an exemption, which is not automatic and must be applied for through the district.
No. Measure L was a Walnut Creek School District (TK-8) measure, and it already failed on June 2, 2026 with about 64.7% yes against a 66.67% requirement. Measure W comes from a different district with a different elected board. The only thing they share is that most Walnut Creek addresses are inside both districts.
Nothing changes on its own: the $168-per-parcel tax never takes effect, current funding continues, and the senior exemption never opens. The Yes on W campaign says AUHSD still operates at a structural deficit and warns that more cuts would follow. The AUHSD board could return to voters with a revised measure, as it did after Measure T fell short.
Measure W is on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Like other California school parcel taxes, it needs a two-thirds (66.67%) yes vote to pass.
The Acalanes Union High School District's four comprehensive high schools: Acalanes, Campolindo, Las Lomas, and Miramonte. Walnut Creek students most often attend Las Lomas or Northgate; Northgate is in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District, so confirm your attendance area before assuming which district your household is voting on.
Homeowners 65 and older who occupy their property would be eligible to apply for an exemption, so the tax would not fall on them once the exemption is granted. The exemption is not automatic — eligible owners have to file an application with the district, and the exact terms and window come from AUHSD.
Not directly. A parcel tax is charged to the owner of the parcel through the property tax bill, so renters do not pay it themselves.
No. Walnut Creek addresses sit inside two school districts at once: Walnut Creek School District for TK-8 and the Acalanes Union High School District for grades 9-12. Measure W comes from the AUHSD board, not from WCSD.