LETTERS LETTERS (April 13, 2005)

Redwood City district needs parcel tax

Editor:

Parents of Redwood City School District students, including those in Atherton who attend Selby Lane School, can protect their children from further cuts in school programs.

State taking of funds intended for the schools, over $8 million from the district in the last five years and another $3.5 million next year, has seriously undermined the district's ability to teach.

To maintain the district's many programs, there will be a mail ballot election (Measure V) to levy a parcel tax on each piece of residential and commercial property in the district, which includes parts of Redwood City, Atherton, and San Mateo County. Endorsed by the Redwood City Chamber of Commerce, the parcel tax is only $85 a year for residential property owners. Senior homeowners can exempt themselves from the tax.

The passage of Measure V is vital to the students in the Redwood City School District. If it does not pass, we will lose 90 teachers. Classes will increase from 20 to 29 students in all K-3 classrooms. Half of all librarians, and half of all library hours, will be cut. All music programs and teachers will be lost. There will be less help for students struggling in reading and math, and fewer intervention and gifted student programs.

The parcel tax is for only five years, but those five years are crucial to the education of hundreds of students. If you are not already registered to vote, the last day to register to be eligible to vote on Measure V is April 18. The League of Women Voters urges you to register, and to vote yes on Measure V and mail your ballot back before May 3.

Gerry Felix, president, League of Women Voters of South San Mateo County

Mills Court, Menlo Park

Libertarian opposes Measure V parcel tax

Editor:

Proponents of Measure V, the Redwood City School District parcel tax, are barraging voter mailboxes with their slick brochures.

They claim endorsements from local newspapers that have not invited opponents of "V" to their editorial review meetings. Their funding comes from parent groups who I believe have been importuned by school district officials to contribute $59,000 to fund the Yes on Measure V campaign.

Here are the views of one opponent (and signatory to the opposing arguments published in the Voter Information Pamphlet):

1. Your tax bill will show a 5 percent surcharge, above and beyond the 1 percent tax limit secured by Jarvis and Gann, for debt service of Redwood City School District bonds. This does not show up in the district's budget.

2. Question: Almost 90 percent of school-aged children in California attend government schools. Why? Answer: Parents have little choice. The "tax grab" by the education monopoly reduces the amount available for education alternatives.

3. The Redwood City district is now recruiting children for its own day-care program in competition with day-care providers. These providers will be faced with a parcel tax bill to boot. 4. The senior exemption has one flaw. What about retirees with a small investment in an acre-plus of commercial property used to supplement their Social Security? They would get zinged for $2,500 a year. Please stop feeding the outrageous education monopoly.

Jack Hickey, chair Libertarian Party of San Mateo County

Where are the facts on sprinklers?

Editor:

In his letter last week, Peter Carpenter of the Menlo Park Fire Protection District stated, "in the important discussion regarding the value of residential fire sprinklers, the fire district board and its professional staff have put well-documented facts on the table, including..."

The fire district maintains a Web site at public expense, and I have found no evidence on it of the "facts" or the documentation to which Mr. Carpenter refers (see http://www.menlofire.org).

As a member of the public I respectfully request that all of this material be promptly posted on the fire district Web site so that the community can be properly informed by facts and not claims?

Mary Gilles, Hermosa Way, Menlo Park

Atherton needs Measure W parcel tax

Editor:

I strongly endorse Measure W, the Atherton special tax coming before voters June 7.

Because it is a purely residential community, Atherton has essentially no sales tax revenue, and is at a fiscal disadvantage compared to its neighboring cities. (Neighbor Menlo Park collects about $6 million in sales taxes each year.)

Further, only a small percentage of the property taxes collected from Atherton are available for city purposes, the bulk of those taxes going to the county, schools and special districts.

By contrast, one hundred percent of the special parcel tax will benefit Atherton residents. Atherton's city government is very efficient and very responsibly run. The proposed parcel tax is indeed a small cost compared to its benefits.

Passage of Measure W is essential to maintain the quality of life in Atherton, and I hope your Atherton readers will give it a "Yes" vote on June 7.

Robin D. Faisant Camino al Lago, Atherton

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