San Mateo County voters could soon become the first in California to approve a special parcel tax on property to help pay for community college education in the county.

A June 8 vote on the issue is being closely watched in the Bay Area and across the state by other community college districts and by anti-tax groups. Both sides say the concept could become a model for districts struggling with their finances amid cuts in state spending brought about by the recession.

The tax would cost the owners of each parcel of property $34 per year and raise an estimated $6 million to boost the district’s $80 million budget.

“We’re doing something that would be the first of its kind,” said Ron Galatolo, chancellor for the three-campus system that serves 40,000 students. “Just because someone has not done it before does not mean we shouldn’t try it.”

Mr. Galatolo said none of the money raised by the tax would go toward administration. The proceeds would be placed in a separate fund and used to restore some of the part-time faculty, whose jobs the district cut to cope with a $24 million reduction in its budget.

“I am going to bring those faculty back and put them into the classroom,” Mr. Galatolo said. “We had 14,000 students on our waiting list last fall. There is a huge demand out there for our services. We’re not providing the academic support they need because we