ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED APRIL 15 2026 FOR THE PIEDMONT POST
Alphabet Soup: A Piedmont School’s Tax Mystery
Piedmont's property tax bill reads like a cozy mystery or soap opera. There was G the flat parcel tax and H the square foot tax, H1 the bond debt, and Prop 13—which is now G, P (see below) H1 and 13.
But now in June, G wants to become H and there’ll be H, H1, P and 13… which to me sounds a little chaotic and confusing. Is G becoming H to make citizens think that the original H is up for renewal? Do citizens realize the P (see below) replaced H? Why is G changing its name to H? Will H realize it got amnesia while mining for gold in the Pampas and come back to confront P for doubling its revenue?
I’ll use my superpower, oversimplification, to help make sense of it all—right now this is how our property is paying for Piedmont schools.
The current stack:
- Measure G (flat): $3,050.58/parcel. Renewal vote June 2 (name change vote)
- Measure P (square-footage): $0.50/sq ft, approved November 2024, doubled from $0.25.
- H1 Bond: Ad valorem debt service.
- Prop 13 Base: 1% of assessed value.
June's Measure H ballot asks whether to renew Measure G at current levels or accept $12 million in cuts, layoffs, and program elimination. No rate increase, just continuation with a new name.
The Fairness Debate
Flat-rate taxes hit smaller homes harder proportionally. Local pollster, Dr. McLarney's, recent local poll found 73.5% support for per-sq-ft structures versus 62% for flat rates—meaning voters want progressive taxation but accept the current system.
There is an exception for SSI recipients and qualifying seniors can apply through PUSD Business Services to waive both G and P. Few know. Fewer apply.
In the News (Tax Edition)
Measure H Campaign Launches
School supporters held a kickoff rally at Piedmont Park last Saturday, with district Superintendent Dr. Chip Ramos emphasizing teacher retention as the core message. "We've kept salaries competitive," he said. "Cut the budget, and we lose institutional knowledge." Campaign expects to spend $30K on mailers and social media. Opponents remain quiet—no formal "No on H" effort has registered, unusual for a tax measure.
Did You Know (Tax Edition)
How Piedmont Funded Itself Before Prop 13
In 1907, Piedmont voters narrowly rejected Oakland annexation by 10 votes, creating an independent city that needed its own revenue system. Early Piedmont taxes were revolutionary for their simplicity: levies based on land size rather than market value. A hillside parcel's acreage mattered more than its price tag—a practical approach when property values were uniform.
For seven decades, this system worked. Wealthy residents who could afford Piedmont's estates paid proportional taxes; modest cottages paid less. The flat assessment approach meant predictability. Schools and services were funded through straightforward land-based levies without the political drama of modern parcel tax elections.
Reader Question (Tax Edition)
"The hardest thing in the world to understand is income taxes."
Albert Einstein to his accountant Leo Mattersdorf from Time Magazine Feb 1963
Question: I am confused about closing costs. What’s the difference between non-recurring and recurring closing costs and why is the buyer for my house asking me to help cover them?
Answer: The second part of your question is easier: closing costs are expensive, and most buyers are cash strapped.
The first part is the important one. Non-recurring closing costs are one-time expenses tied to the transaction itself: lender fees, appraisal, title insurance, escrow fees, recording charges, and similar items. Recurring closing costs are ongoing costs that get prepaid at closing, usually things like property taxes, homeowners’ insurance, mortgage interest, and sometimes HOA dues. Those are not “buying the house” fees so much as “starting the clock” expenses.
Seller-paid closing costs can help the seller by keeping the deal alive without having to drop the purchase price, which may protect the appraisal and the neighborhood comps; in a cash-tight market, a buyer who needs help with closing costs may still be fully qualified to buy, so a seller credit can be the practical difference between closing and starting over.
Real Estate Roundup for March 2026
March brought 22 property transactions. Median sale price held $2.95M, with closed deals ranging $1.61M–$4.39M. Three new listings priced $1.8M–$2.8M suggest sellers believe the window is open. Average DOM for closed deals: 11 days. One property lingered at 60 DOM—a reminder that even Piedmont has ceiling prices.
Active inventory climbing modestly. Off-market activity persists—pending deals show minimal MLS time, confirming private networks still funnel transactions away from public view.
There were 99 residential permits in March across remodels, systems, and site work. Sewer permits were the busiest named category with 18 issued, followed by 13 mechanical permits and 12 solar permits. Eleven renovation and addition permits carried the biggest declared values. There were also 9 electrical permits, 7 roof permits, 5 plumbing permits, 5 window and door permits, 4 seismic upgrades, 3 ADU permits, and 2 EV charger permits.
Insider News
Charlie, Emma and I want to take a minute to wish the happiest of birthdays months to our real estate role model, Anian Tunney from the Grubb Company. #legend
America Foy is a Realtor® and Broker Associate for The Grubb Company. You can contact him via email america@grubbco.com or check out www.americasells.com
