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Portola Valley is surveying residents on a potential revenue measure for the November 2026 ballot, but the process is drawing criticism for its scope and methodology.
On Aug. 27, the Town Council unanimously agreed to poll residents on a real estate transfer tax that would require Portola Valley to become a charter city, choosing it over other options that included a parcel tax, a new utility-user tax or changes to the existing tax. The council said the choice to survey residents on only one potential measure was made for simplicity, even though members had expressed interest in exploring multiple options.
The town hired Las Vegas-based McGuire Research and Godbe Research to conduct the $33,200 survey, which takes about 25 minutes to complete.
According to Town Manager Darcy Smith, the survey aims to evaluate ballot feasibility, resident satisfaction with town services and community priorities.
“The survey is designed to inform critical public policy decisions, including budgeting, planning, prioritization and community engagement strategies,” Smith said.
About 200 responses will be collected through randomly selected phone, text and email invitations, using voter rolls and parks and recreation registration databases.
Some residents, who were contacted as early as Sept. 23, questioned the survey’s legitimacy, concerned it might be a scam. Others on the private PV Forum have criticized the town’s decision to limit the survey to one tax option.
In response, the town posted an online announcement that the survey is valid and residents would be randomly selected and chosen to participate. It ensured that all responses are confidential and will be used for research purposes only.
The research firm is contacting people through phone calls, texts and emails. Selected residents will receive texts from McGuire Research from a phone number with a 415 area code, according to Smith.
Smith explained that residents are being randomly selected through a stratified cluster sample design that groups the community by age, gender and geography.
She said the approach was designed to avoid bias and ensure scientific validity.
“And so for that reason, the survey is not necessarily something that the town is sharing extensive details about,” Smith said.
However, Open Space Committee Chair Betsy Morgenthaler noted that she was barred from participating in the survey due to potential conflicts of interest.
During a Town Council meeting on Sept. 24, Morgenthaler commented that she was selected at random to complete the survey but had her opportunity revoked due to her position on a town committee. She counted about 95 other committee members who would also not be eligible for the survey due to their involvement with the town.
“We’re very proud of our volunteer community, and I was kind of surprised that someone, and it might not have been any of you present tonight, decided that they had some conflict of interest,” Morgenthaler said.
Council member Helen Wolter stressed the importance of the survey, urging participants to stick with it despite its length.
“It’s a long poll, so get a glass of water, get a soda, get a glass of wine and take the survey,” she she. “We are sorry in advance that it’s long. We really need to hear from the community about this.”
Smith said the survey should be completed in the next few weeks and results will be shared with the council in November.
