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Published on 11/02/1998 All articles from this issue

Voters see big picture on Measure H

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Editorial

We're thrilled and relieved to know Los Altos School District voters had on their big-picture thinking caps when they went to the polls Nov. 3 and approved Measure H. The district's $94.7 million bond measure was approved by a whopping 75.4 percent of the vote.

Not unlike other supporters of this needed initiative, which will fund facilities improvements throughout the district's nine schools, we did not rule out a scenario similar to the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District. The district needed three tries to pass its $58 million facilities bond in 1995.

The campaign strategy aimed at getting definite "yes" voters out to the polls apparently worked. So did supporters' phone calls urging residents to turn out on election day.

What made three-fourths passage even more remarkable was the fact that only 15 percent of the voters in the district have kids attending schools in it.

"This just indicates how supportive our community is of the school district," said Measure H campaign co-chairwoman Tania Granoff. "We would not have won unless we had such broad-based support."

Those without kids in the district saw the initiative benefiting property values and quality of life, which is why the bond was endorsed by the Los Altos Homeowners League. It was this far-sighted approach by our electorate - an investment in good education as an investment in our community - that drew such overwhelming positive response.

Now let's get to work on bringing the buildings up to a quality that equals the teaching.