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YES on U – Menlo Park Schools Need to Modernize Now
The Menlo Park City School District is an exceptional community asset, but the campuses need updating. Our schools consistently deliver high-quality public education, yet the structures do not meet the demands of today’s environmental and social realities. We’re talking earthquake safety, climate change, and gun violence.
Earthquake Safety: Earthquakes are nothing new, but engineering standards and building materials have advanced since Lower Laurel Elementary was constructed 65 years ago. In the intervening years, we’ve used stopgap measures to keep them up to code. Measure U will rebuild the older classrooms making them stronger and less expensive to maintain in the future.
Climate Change: 94% of Encinal, Laurel, Oak Knoll and Hillview’s classrooms don’t have air conditioning. Classrooms, especially those on second floors, are even hotter and stuffier than the temperature outside. On hot and smoky days — which are more frequent than ever before students struggle to concentrate. We wouldn’t ask adults to work in offices without A/C — but that’s exactly what our teachers do. Measure U will add new electric heating and air conditioning to all classrooms.
Gun Violence: After every tragic school shooting in this country, our board and administration receive letters and calls urging us to improve campus security, and we must. It is our responsibility to keep our kids safe. Measure U will install central locking systems and improve emergency communications.
None of this work is frivolous. None of this is icing on the cake. They’re critical investments so our students and teachers can focus on learning.
The world has changed and we need to change with it. General obligation bonds are the only way that public schools can fund large-scale facilities projects.
On behalf of the students, teachers, and the community, please vote Yes on Measure U for safe schools for our children.
Francesca Segrè, Menlo Park City School District board president, and Katherine Bicer, Chair, Committee for MPCSD Student Safety, Yes on U
No on Measure U
Government debt is crushing our economy. The federal government alone now exceeds 100% of GDP. There is no way this will ever be paid back without levels of inflation that none of us have experienced in our lifetimes.
Then on top of that the state, cities, and school districts are piling on bonds that will have to be paid back by the same taxpayers! 22 tax increases in San Mateo on Nov. 5!
The District wants to purchase “Modern Technology” with a 30-year loan. But most “technology” is obsolete in 5-6 years, while enrollment is DECLINING significantly: down to 2,584 students.
Would you buy a computer via a 30-year loan? Nuts, right?
But that’s exactly what the District is doing (to you).
Stop bad fiscal policy, vote NO.
This bond equals $47,832 per student and 30+ years of interest expenses at rates up to 12% Yikes!!!
Will this $123.6 million bond debt be spent to hire or train great teachers to improve student academics?
Answer: NO, that’s not legally permitted.
Look at the latest academic performance:
2022-23 school year results: 20.47% below grade level for English.
2022-23 school year results: 22.11% below grade level for math.
The district rewarded students, parents, and taxpayers for the passage of the 2017 parcel tax ($360) with the above failures in English and math!!!
The district rewarded teachers for this poor performance by increasing the average salary of $119,736 in 2020-21 to $132,501 (2022-23) plus benefits.
Source: California Department of Education Data Partnership — ed-data.org
Should you, the voters, reward the district for below grade level scores in English and math and poor fiscal policies?
If not, we encourage you to vote NO on Measure U.
If you reward failure, you will get more failure!
Reject failure – Vote No on U.
Mark Hinkle,
Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association
