Letters to Pleasanton Patch About Measure E

Realtor Says Vote `No' on Measure E

As a Realtor, I make a living dealing with  people who are upside down on their house (owing more than the house is worth).  I am constantly counseling people who don't know what to do and where to turn. 

Twenty percent of all properties on the market in Pleasanton are either in foreclosure or in short sale. They can't afford their house payment, can't retire, can't refinance, can't sell, can't downsize, can't modify their loan — they are out of options.

Homeowners are having a tough time right now.  So are the teachers.  But charging a parcel tax is not going to help anyone. Ninety-eight dollars may not sound like much, but if a homeowner can't make their payment it's a fortune!

If you want to help a teacher, give them the $98; don't force all homeowners to give $98 when you know a large part of that will go toward administration, not the classrooms. 

We have been through this with the Lottery. Remember, that money was supposed to take care of our schools. California's  top individual income tax rate is the third highest in the nation, and we have highest sales tax in the country. California's business tax climate ranks 49th in the nation, and our income tax rate is the highest among Western states. 

Another tax? When, and where, will it end? It is time to draw the line. Stop increasing taxes and demand accountability. We need those who run our schools and government to get their house in order and make needed cut backs to their budgets instead.

Connie Cox, Keller Williams Tri-Valley Realty

No New Parcel Tax

I have lived in Pleasanton for over 25 years, our daughter graduated from high school here and subsequently college.  She is now a professional within our community.  The educational process has been and continues to be extremely important to us, especially since we now have grandchildren who will soon be attending K-12 in Pleasanton.

Over 60 percent of the public school funding comes mostly from the state's income taxes and sales taxes. Since we currently have such a high unemployment rate, our revenues from state income tax have been much less, as well as a decrease in sales tax revenues. This obviously means that we all must tighten our belts and sacrifice for the common good.  The public schools must live within a reasonable budget just like the rest of our town residents.

That means this is not the time to be focusing on raises for teachers, exorbitant pensions for retirees, class size reduction and programs that are not essential! Please understand, the majority of the citizenry cannot absorb any more tax increases of any kind.  We are all strapped to the max, and the public school system needs to understand this unfortunate reality and respond accordingly.  

No new parcel taxes!

Lynda Kinsman, Pleasanton 

PUSD Must Live Within Its Means

I am writing in opposition to Measure E. I voted for Measure B in ‘97, but no more.  We will not vote for any more measures to increase our property taxes until the PUSD has shown that they have already made the hard choices to live within their means.  They have not.

To help illustrate my point, in 1987 my wife and I had a meeting with Steve Maher, then the principal of Alisal Elementary.  Our daughter was starting kindergarten and we wanted to get acquainted.  During our conversation, I showed him the roster of staff at Alisal.  I compared it to the elementary school I went to in southern California that was built the same year as Alisal and looked like it was designed by the same architect.   In 1956 we had: one principal, one full-time secretary and one part-time secretary, one full-time custodian, one part- time nurse and no teacher’s assistants.  Besides the teachers, that was it!

There was a long pregnant pause after this communication.  Clearly it was out of Steve’s hands.  The 1987 roster indicated that extreme administrative bloat had become the norm. 

The fox is in control of the hen house.

Gary Kinsman, Pleasanton

'Wholeheartedly' a Measure E Supporter

We’ve had three children pass through the Pleasanton school district and although we don’t have children enrolled in Pleasanton schools at this time, we wholeheartedly support Measure E.

As we think back to 1998, we are reminded about what actually enticed us to move to Pleasanton:  It was the schools.

As local business owners and Pleasanton residents, we commend the high standard of learning our kids have received and want that tradition to continue for many years to come.

At $98 year, Measure E makes sense. It’s good for kids, good for our community and will help protect property values. 

Measure E funds will support core academic instruction that improves math, science and reading skills.  What’s more, every penny will stay in our community and can’t be taken by the state. 

Our children’s education shouldn’t be subject to the whims of California politics.  Pleasanton schools have already reduced spending by $19.4 million.  That’s 67 fewer teachers, fewer days in school, less support for libraries, art and music programs and fewer courses offered in high school. There is nothing left to cut. 

Please join us in preserving quality education. When you receive your Measure E ballot, mail it back with a “Yes” vote.

Carol and Jerry Rosenblatt, Pleasanton

No on Measure E

Measure E supporters claim the proposed parcel tax will not fund raises during this fiscal crisis.  However, the funds it generates will free up district money to support raises.  In fact, during the term of this parcel tax, the district will give out raises totaling $15 million. This parcel tax will not even cover those raises.

There will be no new money available for instructional programs, libraries, or minimizing class size increases even though those are the items advertised by the measure supporters.  (For the real facts on Measure E visit www.PleasantonParcelTaxInfo.com)  Most residents are unaware that some specialized instructional programs are not paid for by PUSD.  For example, for the last two years, private organizations such as PPIE have funded music programs at the elementary level.

We do not want another tax.  To really help the children of this community, PUSD needs to show the courage to make the structural changes needed to avert bigger problems down the road, which have to be addressed.  Given the facts that PUSD’s income has actually increased $18M over the last three years, and that we are still paying off the last PUSD bond to the tune of about $866 per year per parcel, and that the proposed tax increases are not being paired with true budget reform, it is not fiscally responsible to pass this tax.  I urge PUSD and the Union to propose real reforms prior to seeking more money from over-burdened taxpayers.  The solution they have shown so far — a willingness to fire new teachers to protect raises of senior staff, is unacceptable.

Reg Beer, Pleasanton

For more information about the ,  including the official ballot arguments for and against the measure, click here. Letters should be emailed to kari@patch.com and will be published in the order they are received. We reserve the right to edit your submissions for style, grammar and length. The deadline for submissions is April 24. You must include your full name, city of residence and a daytime phone number in case we have questions.