School board looks at parcel tax for June ballot Comments on Stories, posted by Editor, Danville Weekly Online, on Feb 21, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Parents and developers from the San Ramon Valley told the school board they support a parcel tax, after last month's sweeping statewide cut in education. They advocated giving the school district local control of funding.
Read the full story here Web Link posted Thursday, February 21, 2008, 4:49 PM
Posted by Oxymo Ron, a resident of another community, on Feb 21, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Dear neighbors,
Let's consider reality!
"School board trustees called the parcel tax a "no-brainer" and a "slam dunk," and stressed that it will affect every property owner and resident."
In the Diablo Vista Region, based on the imposition of the MVHS parking lot, a vast majority will oppose any parcel tax proposed by the current SRVUSD Board of Trustees. If parents want to balance the budget and provide for the shortfall of funds, they will be asked to fund it by selling the MVHS parking lot for housing development.
What goes around most unfortunately comes around to often bite those that disserve neighborhoods.
Posted by Jack Carson, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Feb 22, 2008 at 8:33 am
Posted at request of the author
Great idea, neighbors,
Let's not only sell the MVHS parking lot, but sell the entire school site. That should bring $millions to SRVUSD and end the issues the school creates in our neighborhoods.
Posted by Hal Bailey, a resident of another community, on Feb 22, 2008 at 11:18 am
Dear neighbors,
I would suggest two studies by SRVUSD residents. First, please validate for yourself the NEED for educational funding created by State budget cuts. Second, please review facilities measures as current parcel taxes and understand their specified usage.
Obviously, within the SRVUSD neighborhoods, there are many neighbors still angry about the process and preference that created the MVHS parking lot. That is a facilities result created by separate funds for educational operating funds. Thus, please separate the parking lot from your considered support of quality education in SRVUSD.
Posted by Kathy Bell, a resident of another community, on Feb 22, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Posted at the request of the author
Dear neighbors,
In review, SRVUSD will need to raise operational funds for their schools based on budget cuts announced by the Governor. We have confirmed Measure A funds and similar are specifically for facilities construction and renovation and cannot be used as operational funds. Uniquely, if the MVHS parking lot was sold, the resulting funds would be returned to the facilities funds and could not be used for operations funding.
Thus, the options are 1) does SRVUSD residents approve a parcel tax to cover the operating needs of the district, or 2) do the parents have to raise funds to pay for the shortfalls in operating funds, or 3) do we severely reduce educational operations in the district?
It is the opinion of the Iron Horse neighbors that some fund raising efforts should be primary because the budget cuts will not be permanent year to year. We want to see fund raising and parcel tax proposals before any YES vote in June.
Posted by Harry Sachs, a resident of the San Ramon neighborhood, on Feb 27, 2008 at 9:56 am
My 5 year old entered Kindergarten this past year at Country Club elementary. All who have school aged children in our fine public schools here understand that there are ongoing fundraising events to enable adjunct programs to be continued.
Keep in mind that SRVUSD does not qualify for many of the catagorical funding dollars that are dilineated through Prop. 98; therefore when taken in total with other Northern California school districts, our per pupil spending is several hundred dollars less. The outdated "rural schools" designation impedes additional dollars coming into SRVUSD.
$160 a year to maintain high quality adjunct programs is a small price to pay in my opinion. We all want quality school programs, those who don't have children in SRVUSD schools certainly benefit in a more focused, respectful youth culture growing up around them. Have you visited Fremont lately? I work there and the youth roaming the streets are, shall we say, less than impressive.
No bureaucracy is ever 100% efficient in spending money, most households or businesses are not either. However, we all see the improvements that the last parcel tax and the previous one provided to our communities. There will always be opponents but I am certain that most voters will understand the need, reasons and benifits going forward and vote to support the proposal.
Posted by Lisa Wright, a resident of another community, on Feb 27, 2008 at 10:23 am
Posted at request of the author
Dear neighbors,
Over the past 20 years, SRVUSD residents, as parents of students, have understood the funding issues in our district. My parents, and now me, as a parent, are faced with the continuing issues of funding schools' operations. There is no issue related to funding that needs to be explained concerning any proposed fund raising or additional parcel tax.
But it can't be a "no brainer" that simply asks for voter approval without accountability. Diablo Vista (Alamo) region neighbors will not soon forget the MVHS parking lot imposed on our neighbors against our will and therefore SRVUSD Trustees must provide exact pro forma accountability for uses of funds prior to majority support for a parcel tax increase.
View in an RSS Reader
E-mail this topic.
Print this topic.
