Posted by Rick DeGolia
a resident of Atherton: West Atherton
on Oct 21, 2017 at 4:22 pm

I want to thank the Almanac for this well stated editorial. I do think that passing this Parcel Tax is important and that approving it wasn't just seeking the ability to spend more tax dollars. The Atherton Council has been extremely conservative in authorizing any spending. It's easy for Council to spend lots of money on consultants without great results and we have tried to be very, very careful about this, while still moving forward to implement the decisions of the four Master Plans that we approved between 2014 and 2017. We have been able to generate a surplus in each of the past four years and, per the voter decision in June 2017, that surplus is going to be used to build a critically needed, conservatively designed civic center. The Parcel Tax will enable us, during the three year period of this civic center construction, to continue to pay for two police officers and continue to provide the level of road work and drainage work that the Parcel Tax has paid for, ie $1.8m per year. This is why we need the Parcel Tax.

It is important to highlight the decision to make this Parcel Tax for only three years. That is because we will be done with the civic center in three years and if our property taxes continue to increase faster than our expenses, then three years will be the right time to seriously debate whether or not we need the Parcel Tax. Now is a time that we definitely need it.

Posted by Peter Carpenter
a resident of Atherton: Lindenwood
on Oct 21, 2017 at 8:01 pm
Peter Carpenter is a registered user.

Prop 13 was passed June 6th, 1978.

The properties "frozen" at 1978 assessed values have increased in value by 100% by 2017.

More than 50% of the properties in Atherton have been scrapped and replaced by much higher value properties since 1978.

Prop 13 is NOT a justification for the 2017 parcel tax.