Belmont voters will decide this November whether to create a new special tax to rebuild the Barrett Community Center. The measure, known as Measure Y, would authorize a tax based on the square footage of structures throughout the city, with revenue earmarked specifically for reconstructing and upgrading the center.
The tax would set a rate of 33 cents per square foot for improvements on dwelling units and 54 cents per square foot for other property types, according to seed facts drawn from the San Mateo Daily Journal.
How the Money Would Be Spent
If approved, the tax would fund reconstruction and upgrades to the Barrett Community Center. That revenue would support the center's staffing, maintenance and repairs. The rebuilt facility is also intended for emergency use.
The Barrett Community Center sits on Belburn Drive and offers classes, child care and after-school programs, according to the San Mateo Daily Journal. A separate city facility listing describes Barrett as the primary recreation center for youth and teens in Belmont.
From Petition to the Ballot
Measure Y did not originate at City Hall. It was placed on the ballot through a citizen-led signature-gathering initiative, according to the seed facts. The initiative petition was submitted to the Belmont city clerk's office on June 3, and San Mateo County certified it on June 30 with 1,799 valid signatures, exceeding the 1,750 required, according to citizenportal.ai. The Belmont City Council then voted to submit the certified initiative to the county for placement on the statewide general election ballot.
Talk of overhauling the center stretches back years. Discussions on how to revamp the center began around 2019, the Daily Journal reported, and city leaders have since weighed which offerings to prioritize as plans evolved. Cost estimates have shifted substantially over that span: a 2019 conceptual design for a new Belmont community center carried a price tag estimated at nearly $58 million, while a more recent estimate put the Barrett Community Center upgrade at up to $83 million, per the Daily Journal's reporting.
Supporters and Opponents Make Their Case
The measure has drawn organized pushback. The Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association and former Belmont officials submitted a joint letter opposing Measure Y.
Measure Y would need approval by a simple majority of voters to pass.
Key Dates for Belmont Voters
Election Day is Nov. 3. San Mateo County's elections office says voters may visit any county Vote Center to register, vote in person, return a ballot or request a replacement ballot, or drop off a completed ballot at a Ballot Drop Box, according to smcacre.gov.
