Berkeley voters will decide on Nov. 3 whether to approve Measure U, a $300 million general obligation bond for fire stations, parks, emergency facilities and climate resilience. The City Council voted unanimously in June to put it on the ballot, and it needs a two-thirds vote to pass.

What it would fund

Unlike a 2022 bond that failed with 59% of the vote, the city has published a list of about three dozen projects. As reported by Berkeleyside, the plan sets aside $107 million for the fire department, including replacing Fire Station 4 on Marin Avenue and Station 6 on Cedar Street and building a new training center in Northwest Berkeley. About $91 million would go to parks, including a $36.9 million rebuild of the Frances Albrier Community Center in San Pablo Park, new restrooms at several parks and the waterfront, and a seawall for the Marina's South Cove. Another $75 million is aimed at critical infrastructure, such as modernizing the Public Safety Center, a new home for 911 dispatchers and seismic work at Old City Hall and the Veterans Memorial Building.

What it would cost

The ballot language estimates an average annual tax of about $22.14 per $100,000 of assessed value over the roughly 40 years the bonds would be outstanding. Berkeleyside reported a charge of $44 per $100,000 when calculated on the full amount, or about $242 a year for a home at the city's average assessed value. An independent fact-check by the Berkeley Decision Project, citing the city's tax rate statement, put total estimated debt service at about $610 million, with the city planning to sell the bonds in three $100 million rounds starting in 2027.

The debate

Supporters, including Mayor Adena Ishii and the full council, point to the 2016 Measure T1 bond as proof the city can deliver. Opponents with the group Affordable Berkeley argue rising costs could repeat T1's 2023 shortfall, when some projects were dropped. They also note the project list is not legally binding. Backers say that flexibility lets the city adjust if grants come through, and that the bond would be audited every three years.

The deadline to register online or by mail in Alameda County is Oct. 19.