The timing is poor but the need is clear. The San Mateo-Foster City Elementary School District is asking voters for a $409 million bond measure that will cost property owners $30 per $100,000 assessed value and garner about $27 million a year for 15 years.
The district’s last bond measure was in 2015 and aided in a number of projects, including a new school in Foster City and new gyms and classrooms in San Mateo. This time, the money is slated for a number of infrastructure improvements with the most notable project being updated ventilation and cleaning stations needed to contend with rising temperatures, smoke from wildfires and the threat of coronavirus. Additional money would go to new classrooms, multipurpose buildings and other facility improvements at the district’s schools. It would also pay for improvements at the aging Bowditch Middle School.
It is a big ask in a time of uncertainty over the lasting impact of the pandemic on enrollment, the economy and the tax base’s ability to pay for additional needs. It can also be argued that facility needs are not top priority when children aren’t even at the school sites right now.
However, they will return and the needs will be clear. The longer the district waits to make these improvements, the more expensive they will be. In addition, there is an opportunity that the district will able to begin some projects now while the school sites are not being used.
While this amount may seem large, so is the overall cost of construction these days and the need for safe and secure school sites with facilities to provide adequate learning environments will only grow greater without this bond. Vote yes.
This is the easiest NO vote you can have this November. If you are interested in funding an inefficient and ineffective educational system, vote yes on new tax. Until choice becomes available in our education system and as long as these school districts amass larger and larger budget deficits due to unrealistic retirement promises to public employee retirees, you will throwing good money after bad. Make our public school system accountable to parents and children and not public unions, vote NO on Measure T.
Chris you need to get a job maybe you will practice gratitude you so lack in all your comments all negative know it all comments and you don't know it all.farthest from the truth. You are rude and toxic to everybody you attack them all you must lead a miserable life leave education alone as you possess no manners at all. I would deem you to need a class on getting along with people as you so lack the ability to be a team player. Just a know it all. DJ shame on you for allowing all this toxicity in your paper.
Ms. Aball, you’re like the pot calling the kettle black. So it’s okay for you to make rude and toxic comments but not someone else? Good for thee but not for me? If you’re so fired up about this measure, sell your assets and write them a personal check for the full amount. Maybe others will follow your lead. Until then, vote NO. I also agree with Mr. Conway’s comments. And kudos to the DJ for allowing differing viewpoints.
Let me guess, by the way you write, you went to a public school. I will be a team player when public unions become a team player. Deal? I care about public unions as much as they care about me, which is very little. School Choice now and if that offends you, may I offer you a tissue. .
I have witnessed what the district called deferred maintenance in the schools. I support them now as the maintenance will be getting worse especially after the schools sit unused from this past pandemic.
If you are interested in funding an inefficient and ineffective educational system, vote yes on new tax. Until choice becomes available in our education system and as long as these school districts amass larger and larger budget deficits due to unrealistic retirement promises to public employee retirees, you will throwing good money after bad attack a system inefficient ineffective tired of all the insults about education.
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO
personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who
make comments. Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. Don't threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Anyone violating these rules will be issued a
warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be
revoked.
Please purchase a Premium Subscription to continue reading.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.
We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.
A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
(9) comments
This is the easiest NO vote you can have this November. If you are interested in funding an inefficient and ineffective educational system, vote yes on new tax. Until choice becomes available in our education system and as long as these school districts amass larger and larger budget deficits due to unrealistic retirement promises to public employee retirees, you will throwing good money after bad. Make our public school system accountable to parents and children and not public unions, vote NO on Measure T.
Vote NO. Agree with Mr. Conway's comments.
Chris you need to get a job maybe you will practice gratitude you so lack in all your comments all negative know it all comments and you don't know it all.farthest from the truth. You are rude and toxic to everybody you attack them all you must lead a miserable life leave education alone as you possess no manners at all. I would deem you to need a class on getting along with people as you so lack the ability to be a team player. Just a know it all. DJ shame on you for allowing all this toxicity in your paper.
Ms. Aball, you’re like the pot calling the kettle black. So it’s okay for you to make rude and toxic comments but not someone else? Good for thee but not for me? If you’re so fired up about this measure, sell your assets and write them a personal check for the full amount. Maybe others will follow your lead. Until then, vote NO. I also agree with Mr. Conway’s comments. And kudos to the DJ for allowing differing viewpoints.
Let me guess, by the way you write, you went to a public school. I will be a team player when public unions become a team player. Deal? I care about public unions as much as they care about me, which is very little. School Choice now and if that offends you, may I offer you a tissue. .
I have witnessed what the district called deferred maintenance in the schools. I support them now as the maintenance will be getting worse especially after the schools sit unused from this past pandemic.
To: aball52 -----
A quote from Justice Scalia worth pondering...."“I attack ideas. I don’t attack people."
If you are interested in funding an inefficient and ineffective educational system, vote yes on new tax. Until choice becomes available in our education system and as long as these school districts amass larger and larger budget deficits due to unrealistic retirement promises to public employee retirees, you will throwing good money after bad attack a system inefficient ineffective tired of all the insults about education.
Then take a nap. But I must warn you, when you wake up I will still be critical of our public school system.
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.