One more try One more try (January 14, 2005)

School district likely to float another parcel tax in June

by Alexandria Rocha

The Palo Alto school district will likely go to voters in June with a parcel tax measure much lower than November's proposal and a campaign that's much less "motherhood and apple pie."

More than a dozen community members joined the district's Board of Education and its consultants earlier this week in a lengthy discussion about the district's overall budget picture and its next parcel tax measure.

While the polling and election consultants presented discouraging results from a recent survey -- only 68 percent of voters said they would support a measure -- community members presented a wide variety of opinions.

Some who spoke wholeheartedly supported the measure and openly rallied for volunteers, others told the board to forget it and some simply gave advice.

"As long as your message is clear and people can point to specifics, we'll be successful," Kate Hill, president of the Gunn High School PTA, told the board.

The district has been immersed in "round two" since its first parcel tax measure failed to reach the two-thirds benchmark it needed to pass in November. Measure I would have increased the amount and longevity of a current parcel tax from $293 per year to $521 until 2013.

Since its failure, board members have made it clear they would return to the voters. This time, they are prepared to battle city watchdog Wayne Martin, who led the "No on I" campaign, by spending less time on the sidelines and providing more detailed information on exactly how the money would be used.

Based on Tuesday night's discussion, its likely voters will see a June 7 ballot in a special election. The measure will probably ask for less than $493, which the recent poll proposed, and have a term of six years.

The $493 per year proposal came from Superintendent Mary Frances Callan, who based it on the district's financial needs. However, because that amount didn't do well in the polls, board members asked Callan to for a lower amount. The measure needs at least 66.7 percent, or two-thirds of the voters approval, and the poll results were just too close.

"There's always a percentage of a community, probably 20 to 30 percent, who will vote no on any tax measure, whatever it is," said Gene Bregman, the district's polling consultant.

The board asked Callan to also provide a breakdown of what different parcel tax amounts would fund if passed and what would be cut if the effort failed. Callan plans to bring the revised information back to the public, who will again be invited to take part in another discussion, at the board's Jan. 25 meeting.

"We may want more and we may need more, but we want the measure to pass," said board member Cathy Kroymann.

The district's current parcel tax, which voters overwhelmingly approved in 2001, brings in $5.5 million annually and is set to expire in June 2006. Measure I would have generated $10 million each year to avoid significant layoffs and maintain the district's kindergarten through 12th-grade class-size reduction program.

Because $6.5 million has already been made in reductions over the past two years, district officials said they will be forced to layoff 80 full-time employees, losing the entire small-class program, if the current parcel tax is not renewed and increased.

Students are already taking notice of the shrinking budget's impact.

"I've seen my English class sizes go to 30 to 35 students," said student board member, Eric Nguyen, a senior at Gunn High School. "There are three AP English classes and 180 candidates and only 90 spots. It's definitely cutthroat."

The district plans to outline what specific programs cost, and supporters have already emerged.

"We'll do everything we can to make sure all of our neighbors have a clear picture of what to base their 'yes' vote on," said Barbara Spreng, president of the Palo Alto Council of PTA's.

For example, a new parcel tax would help maintain the class-size reduction program, which costs $7 million per year to run, said Callan.

"People target our schools and move here for them. Our journalism kids receive awards and our music students are invited to play at Carnegie Hall," said Mandy Lowell, vice president of the board. "The public has the right to say whether they want the minimum, or whether they want them to have more. That's the American system."

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