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Published on 12/22/1999 All articles from this issue

Letters to the Editor

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No popular demand for new spending

The Town Crier and the rest of the local in-crowd are piqued at the uppity voters for defeating their proposed tax increase, so they're telling whoppers about it. Examples:

1) "Residents cite need for better services but don't want tax hike to pay for them" - front-page headline, Nov. 10.

2) "They want someone else to pay for it." And "voters had difficulty" understanding the issue. - King Lear, who led the tax-hike effort, in a letter the same day.

3) In a later letter, Daniel Seddiqui asked: "If [they] do not want to pay an increase in utility-user tax, then why did the majority vote for Measure H?"

Answer: Measure H asked: "[should any] utility users tax increases above 3.5 percent [the Measure I proposal] be appropriated" for the stated items? So, Measure H did not mean anything unless Measure I also passed. Voters opposing a tax increase might well vote for Measure H, to avoid a blank check if Measure I passed.

I think voters on both sides understood the issues well. Proponents certainly got their message out.

Passage of H does not indicate crying unmet needs; defeat of I does not mean voters want a free lunch. There was no popular demand for new spending, even though we had a budget surplus. The in-crowd convened a committee to recommend how to spend the surplus, and gave no consideration to cutting taxes. The insider panel did its real job by adopting a wish list long enough to devour the surplus and require more - providing an excuse for another tax measure.

Use of two measures was an artifice introduced as a sneaky way around the two-thirds majority required for special-purpose tax hikes.

During the (Los Altos City Council) campaign, opponents threw mudballs - for example, claiming that I ran for the council "against all taxes." The record clearly shows this is false.

It was also alleged incorrectly that Noah Mesel and I "ran negative Measure I campaigns without offering achieveable, realistic alternatives." Noah's subsequent letter showed we had, in fact, identified alternative revenue sources. In addition, we would have done what the in-crowd didn't: prioritize spending needs so that the most important things were included in the budget, not in Measure H as bait for tax-hike support.

Ron KnechtLos Altos

Reasons city is involved in swimming pool issue

There has been a lot of discussion recently about the possibility of building a new community pool on public land in the city of Los Altos. The discussion has focussed primarily on possible actions to build such a pool by the Los Altos City Council. In evaluating this discussion, it is important to keep two things in mind.

First, the city is interested in a new community pool at the present time because the community will be losing an existing facility on school district property that is extremely well-used. We're not talking about adding swimming facilities to the community, but rather about making sure we don't lose already highly-valued swimming facilities.

Second, the city is placed in the position of having to act unilaterally because of unwillingness on the part of the Los Altos School District to work in partnership with the city on this issue. The district also has some obligation to support both general community interests and the activities of other local public agencies with community interests.

There are 15 acres at the Covington-Rosita site, where the community is already used to the existence of a swimming facility. Surely space could be found to maintain a pool there. Other school districts cooperate with their cities. Why can't ours?

Wendy JohnsonLos Altos

Tiny Tots situation a matter of low priorities

The crisis with the Tiny Tots program in Los Altos (Dec 15) is perhaps another example of education and child-care issues remaining among the lowest priorities throughout our nation.

While private efforts in Los Altos have made some positive inroads, much remains to be addressed. Over my 32 years as a Los Altos resident, I've watched schools close and their sites disappear and, as many of us argued then, those facilities are greatly needed now. We have seen educational facilities deteriorate, difficulties in passing supporting bond issues, and, of course, complications involving park and recreational facilities.

My own daughter was fortunate to be a "Tiny Tot" in the mid-1970s and, yes, we even had to show up early for sign-ups just to get a spot. The city childcare program is another highly sought-after institution with a demand that greatly outpaces the available openings. The teachers and staff of both programs are highly acclaimed, qualified, dedicated, and the child-care program even won a state award. These individuals have a high level of responsibility, and make an important impact so many young lives, and yet some may be among the lowest in compensation. Since at least one of these programs is a revenue source for the city, one might ask, how can this be?

While it is true that my own children have long since left the child-care scene, I've remained in touch in recent years through after-hours conversations with my wife, Debby Maynard. Debby started the child-care program in the early 1980s, and eventually became a city recreation supervisor. A few years ago, Tiny Tots was added to her list of responsibilities. She has always expressed a good deal of pride and joy in her programs and staff. But, with the addition of state licensing, the growing demands on available facilities, and the valley boom, which makes filling positions difficult, there has been an ever-increasing level of frustration and stress. While some salary compensation has been achieved, many of the challenges (including the one with Tiny Tots) remain.

Both Debby and I will be leaving Los Altos at the end of the month. We've made lots of good friends and met a lot of great people. I encourage each citizen to press on for what is important and needed, to elect and support those who can influence your desires, and to be willing to vote for or provide the funds to achieve them.

Lloyd D. Corliss

Los Altos