By Lookout Staff

May 28, 2010 -- It is a tremendous long shot, but there is a mathematical chance Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District’s Measure A could pass when ballot counting resumes on Friday.

The measure, which would tax property owners $198 per parcel, requires two-thirds voter support for passage. The preliminary result from Tuesday had support at 63.18 percent, or 11,330 votes. There were 6,603 votes in opposition.

Approximately 3,300 ballots that did not arrive at the Los Angeles County Registrar’s Office until Tuesday need to be counted. Approximately 86 percent of them must be Yes votes for the measure to win.

Registrar spokesperson Marcia Ventura said there is no guarantee ballot counting will conclude on Friday. She said there is a goal to have the process finished by June 4. The County must finish within 28 days.

With a Measure A defeat the most likely scenario, the SMMUSD has already begun preparing for next fiscal year without the estimated $5.7 million the parcel tax would generate. The Board of Education met Wednesday and Thursday nights on the District staff’s proposed $8.9 million in cuts.

The board members went line by line through the options, including elimination of programs such as elementary school music. They heard from members of the public on several of them, with most of the speakers opposing nursing staff reductions and elementary school music elimination.

Also at the meeting, options for revenue enhance-ments were proposed by District officials and members of the public. These options included direct fundraising and bringing a new parcel tax measure before the voters in November or sometime next year.

Look for updates on the election results at this web site.