A buyer who closes on a Kentfield home this winter will get their first full tax bill under the new rates in fiscal year 2027–28, which begins July 1, 2027. That bill could carry two charges that didn't exist when the house went on the market. Both are calculated on the home's building area, so a 5,000-square-foot house in Kent Woodlands and a 1,800-square-foot house near College Avenue would pay very different amounts, even though both sit inside the same school district and fire district and use the same hospital.
Most of Kentfield's voter-approved charges have worked the other way. The largest one charges every parcel the same amount whatever the size of the house. As of the unofficial count posted November 5, 2026, Marin voters were approving two citizen-initiative taxes billed by the square foot. If they're certified, the special-tax portion of a Kentfield bill will scale with the size of the house more than it ever has.
The flat charge every Kentfield parcel already pays
The largest special tax on a Kentfield bill is the Kentfield School District parcel tax. In June 2026, voters approved Measure C, which replaced the old $1,842 rate with $1,990 per parcel starting July 1, 2026, running through June 30, 2036. The rate is scheduled to rise 3% a year beginning July 1, 2027. The measure needed two-thirds approval and passed with 4,176 Yes votes, or 77.33%, according to the certified results from the June 2, 2026 primary.
Every parcel pays the same $1,990, whether it holds a small cottage or a large estate. The measure exempts qualifying owner-occupants age 65 or older and certain disabled residents.
Several smaller charges follow the same flat model. The Tamalpais Union High School District's Measure M, passed in November 2020, renewed a $469 per-parcel base rate that adjusts with the cost of living and offers senior exemptions. Kentfield Fire Protection District's paramedic tax works per living unit. The continuation on this month's ballot, Measure BB, sets $107.50 per residential living unit for four years starting July 1, 2027, with increases of up to $4 a year. In KQED's November 5 tally, Measure BB had 78.4% Yes, above the two-thirds it needs.
The square-foot model, already on the bill and now spreading
Kentfield owners already pay one tax based on square footage. The Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority's 2020 parcel tax charges by building area. The board's FY 2026–27 rate resolution, adopted March 19, 2026, sets the maximum single-family rate at $0.1141 per building square foot after a 2.5% increase.
The two November measures would add two more charges that work the same way.
| Measure | Purpose | Rate | Term | Vote needed | Unofficial Yes, Nov 5, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Measure P | Countywide childcare | $0.05 per sq ft of building floor area, capped at 100,000 sq ft | 15 years | Simple majority | 53.5% |
| Measure CC | Marin Healthcare District, for MarinHealth Medical Center | $0.14 per sq ft of improved building area | 30 years | Simple majority | 56.6% |
The rates and terms come from the Measure P ordinance and the Measure CC ordinance. Both measures reached the ballot by citizen initiative, so each needs only a majority to pass, not the two-thirds a special tax usually needs. The county's Measure P voter guide page explains the majority threshold for P. The Marin Independent Journal reported the same rule for CC. The same article said the Marin Healthcare District includes most of the county except greater Novato. Measure CC is estimated to raise about $12.4 million a year, or roughly $372 million over its 30-year term.
Results posted November 5 were unofficial, and the county scheduled further updates. The current count is on the Marin County Elections results page.
What the math looks like at three house sizes
These figures apply each published rate to building area. They're illustrations, not quotes for any particular parcel. The wildfire figure uses the authority's maximum FY 2026–27 rate. The P and CC figures use the initial rates in each measure's text.
| Charge | 1,800 sq ft | 3,000 sq ft | 5,000 sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentfield School District, Measure C | $1,990 | $1,990 | $1,990 |
| Marin Wildfire, $0.1141 per sq ft | $205.38 | $342.30 | $570.50 |
| Measure P, $0.05 per sq ft | $90.00 | $150.00 | $250.00 |
| Measure CC, $0.14 per sq ft | $252.00 | $420.00 | $700.00 |
| Square-foot charges combined | $547.38 | $912.30 | $1,520.50 |
Under the wildfire tax alone, square-foot charges on the 5,000-square-foot house come to less than a third of the school parcel tax. If P and CC are certified, the square-foot charges on that house total $1,520.50, close to the $1,990 flat charge. On the 1,800-square-foot house, they come to about a quarter of it.
This matters when comparing homes. Two Kentfield listings at similar prices can carry different special-tax bills if one has much more building area. Kent Woodlands, where larger houses are common, sees more of that difference than the flatter streets near the College of Marin campus. A quick 1% estimate on a listing captures none of it.
When the new charges would first appear
If certified, Measure P and Measure CC would start in the first full fiscal year after they take effect, which is FY 2027–28, beginning July 1, 2027. Several other changes land on the same date.
- July 1, 2026. Kentfield School District's $1,990 rate took effect.
- June 30, 2027. The existing Kentfield Fire paramedic tax expires.
- July 1, 2027. The school tax's first 3% increase takes effect, Measure BB's $107.50 paramedic rate begins, and Measures P and CC would start if certified.
- June 30, 2036. The current Kentfield School District parcel tax ends.
For a buyer, this means the tax line on a seller's current bill shows the 2026–27 structure. A household that closes this winter and plans to stay will be paying the 2027–28 structure within a year of moving in.
Exemptions follow the age of the tax
The older flat taxes come with senior relief. Measure C exempts qualifying owner-occupants age 65 or older. Tam Union's Measure M offers senior exemptions. The Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority offers a low-income senior exemption for qualifying owner-occupied single-family homes, and owners have to apply every year.
The two new measures have none. The county voter guide lists no senior or low-income homeowner exemption for Measure P. Its ordinance exempts only parcels that are already exempt from ad valorem property tax. In the official rebuttal on the Measure CC ballot page, supporters say state law prohibits healthcare districts from offering senior exemptions.
How square footage gets counted also matters. Measure P defines its base as building floor area. Measure CC defines improved building area as the area where any building exists, and a building as a roofed structure designed to shelter people or property. Neither text names garages or accessory dwelling units. On a property with a detached studio or a large garage, that wording affects the bill.
Why the hospital measure is on a Kentfield bill
MarinHealth Medical Center sits in Greenbrae, a few minutes from Kentfield along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. The Marin IJ's election-night coverage explained the campus's deadline. Under state seismic law, Redwood Pavilion, which dates to the 1950s and 1960s and holds 63 patient beds, can no longer be used for inpatient care after January 1, 2030 unless it is repaired or replaced. The district has applied for an extension to January 1, 2033. The IJ also reported that emergency room visits grew 17% between 2022 and 2025, to 43,663. The IJ reported that the Coalition of Sensible Taxpayers stayed neutral on CC. The coalition opposed Measure P, as the Marin IJ reported in September. The argument against P on the county voter guide page objects to using the simple-majority initiative route.
Short answers
Do these charges depend on what I pay for the house? No. Measures C and BB are set per parcel or per living unit. The wildfire tax and Measures P and CC are set per square foot. None of them is tied to the purchase price.
Would a bigger lot raise Measure P or CC? The Measure P and Measure CC ordinances base the charge on building area, not land area.
Are P and CC final? As of the November 5, 2026 unofficial count, both were above the majority they need. The county's certified results are the final word.
This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Confirm how any of these charges apply to a particular property with your tax advisor or the county.
If you're weighing a Kentfield home and want to see what its special-tax lines could look like once the 2027–28 bill arrives, Smith & Co. can walk through the parcel with you, including how much building area the measures may count. Schedule a free consultation and we'll go over that home's numbers together.
