Posted by Jack Hickey
a resident of Woodside: Emerald Hills
on Oct 24, 2017 at 4:36 pm
Jack Hickey is a registered user.

The district should stop competing with alternative education providers to attract students. Their platinum facilities and programs are financially unsustainable, particularly given the benefit excesses accruing to teachers and staff.

The district should explore ways to reduce enrollment. This could include financial incentives. For every child whose parents find an alternative, the district saves more than $14,000. With a sufficient reduction in enrollment, the district could lease excess facilities to help pay down their $120,000,000+ bond debt.

Posted by Menlo Voter.
a resident of Menlo Park: other
on Oct 24, 2017 at 8:01 pm
Menlo Voter. is a registered user.

The problem Jack, is the ever increasing unfunded pension liabilities this district has. Then they keep doubling down and giving salary raises to teachers which just makes the unfunded pension liabilities worse. Something the board either doesn't understand or is trying to hide. And guess what? As predicted, they are getting ready to ask for ANOTHER parcel tax.

I didn't vote for the parcel tax because the board and the union wouldn't guarantee they wouldn't give or ask for raises. As predicted, they did and they did. I will absolutely NEVER vote for another parcel tax as long as this board is seated, with the exception of one person. They either don't get it or they are trying to hide the truth. This district CANNOT continue to give pay raises without doing something to cut expenses somewhere else so they can fund pensions.

Prior boards have kicked the can down the road so many times that we are now at a crisis. Either the board continues to ask for more and more and more money to cover the unfunded pension liabilities, not to mention CAlstrs demands for higher contributions becasue of their stupidity, or they stop giving raises and start living within their means.

If the parents in this district want a platinum education for their children from a public school system then they need to step up and kick down the necessary funds because I. and many others in this community, will not. You folks want private school education for your children? YOU PAY FOR IT YOURSELVES. I'M DONE!