City of East Palo Alto Measure O — Bond Measure (San Mateo County)

What it does

East Palo Alto Community/Water/Public Safety Infrastructure Measure. Shall the measure constructing a Library, Emergency Command Center, civic center, youth sports park; replacing deteriorating water pipes to provide safe/ clean drinking water; repairing storm drains to prevent flooding; addressing earthquake safety, by authorizing East Palo Alto to issue $125,000,000 in general obligation bonds, with annual levies averaging $105.26 per $100,000 of assessed value (raising approximately $8,940,000 annually) while bonds are outstanding, with independent audits/ public disclosure, be adopted?

A YES vote means

East Palo Alto could issue $125,000,000 in bonds for a library, emergency command center, civic center, youth sports park, water pipes and storm drains, with levies averaging $105.26 per $100,000 of assessed value (about $8,940,000 a year).

A NO vote means

East Palo Alto would not issue these $125,000,000 in bonds, and the related property tax would not be levied.

Needed to pass

A two-thirds supermajority: at least 2 out of every 3 YES and NO votes must be YES, so a measure can get a majority and still fail.

Left–right lean

Unclear: our AI read of the official summary isn't confident enough (we require 70%) to place this on the left–right spectrum, so we don't. Read the summary and decide for yourself.

The YES and NO lines are SpectrumVote's plain-language reading of the official text above; the official text is what you vote on.

Official text: source

Background

Measure O was placed on the ballot by the East Palo Alto City Council and requires a two-thirds vote, according to the City Attorney's impartial analysis.

It would authorize up to $125,000,000 in general obligation bonds for land for a civic center with a roughly 20,000-square-foot police building and emergency operations center and a roughly 100,000-square-foot building for a library and City Hall; water storage and pipeline projects; stormwater and drainage improvements; and land for parks including a track and field facility.

The City estimates an average tax of $105.26 per $100,000 of assessed value, a peak of about $114.41 starting in fiscal year 2028-2029, collection through 2057-2058, and total debt service of $268,205,658; proceeds would be kept in a separate fund and audited annually.

Put on the ballot by East Palo Alto City Council (2026).

From official source.

Next elections here

• 2028 presidential election · Who has filed so far, from FEC filings

Also on San Mateo County ballots

• City of Belmont Measure Y — Special Tax Measure
• City of Brisbane Measure X — Business License Tax Measure
• City of East Palo Alto Measure CC — Term Limits Measure
• City of Half Moon Bay Measure I — Coastal Land Use Measure
• City of Half Moon Bay Measure Q — Housing Initiative Measure
• City of Menlo Park Measure P — Citizen Initiative to Amend Municipal Code
• City of Pacifica Measure BB — Transactions and Use Tax Measure
• Town of Portola Valley Measure N — Town Charter and Property Transfer Tax Measure
• City of Redwood City Measure E — Rent Control and Eviction Limits Initiative
• City of San Bruno Measure S — Housing Permits and Developments Measure
• City of San Bruno Measure DD — Fireworks Ban Measure
• City of San Bruno Measure EE — Business License Tax Measure
• City of San Carlos Measure G — Transactions and Use Tax Measure
• City of San Mateo Measure H — Transactions and Use Tax Measure
• City of San Mateo Measure F — Charter Amendment Measure

All San Mateo County races and measures →

Quick answers

What does a YES vote on City of East Palo Alto Measure O mean?

East Palo Alto could issue $125,000,000 in bonds for a library, emergency command center, civic center, youth sports park, water pipes and storm drains, with levies averaging $105.26 per $100,000 of assessed value (about $8,940,000 a year).

What does a NO vote on City of East Palo Alto Measure O mean?

East Palo Alto would not issue these $125,000,000 in bonds, and the related property tax would not be levied.

How many votes does City of East Palo Alto Measure O need to pass?

A two-thirds supermajority: at least 2 out of every 3 YES and NO votes must be YES, so a measure can get a majority and still fail.

Should I vote yes or no on City of East Palo Alto Measure O?

SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.

When is the vote?

The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.