"The three-year term will put future renewals on the ballot in presidential election years, when voter turnout is higher and the town's proportional share of the election cost is lower."

Right…but didn't DeGolia say this was going to be the last parcel tax? Why was the council planning out future renewals based on higher voter turnout?

Glad that the smart people of Atherton didn't fall for this snow job.

Measure F has lost by a considerable margin - only 51% yes when 67% was needed.

Why should citizens support a measure on which a majority of the Council stood virtually silent?

Peter, the voting is done and it's just 50/50. This was a rout.

Finally!!!! The tax payers stand up to the "Special tax" shake down! Now...get rid of that useless, money draining police department and outsource services to the County Sheriff to save even more tax payer money. Enough!!!!

I'd like to congratulate Sandy Crittenden for courageously leading the charge against the parcel tax. When one thinks of all the barriers that had to be overcome:

* After taking the view in the last election that Atherton would adhere to very strict interpretation of the rebuttal date rules on ballot measures (and using this view to disallow the parcel tax opposition group to submit their rebuttal), nonetheless allowing the Town Attorney in this election to submit his "impartial" analysis late, where such analysis with anything but impartial?

* The Almanac's endorsement.

* The Almanac poor choice of words in its endorsement that might have caused readers to believe a person as widely respected as Kathy McKeithen was actually in favor of this boondoggle.

* The Town Manager giving the green light to take away people's political signs protesting this tax in an unprecedented show of force against free speech.

..and I could go on and on, but it seems to me at least that had this been a "fair" ball game, this measure would not even have garnered 50% of the vote.

The real question becomes, what happens next? Do Lewis and DeGolia admit – finally – that there is not enough consensus to build this town center (because without the consensus to pay for it, there's no consensus to build it, a rather axiomatic truth that should have been realized when that ballot measure barely passed) and go back to the drawing board, but involing dissenting voices to achieve consensus?

Do they try to muscle forward in blithe defiance of this vote, in the wake of this unprecedented defeat? No Atherton parcel tax has EVER failed by this magnitude. How can this not be a serious wake up call?

Do they step down from the council, as leaders would in any parliamentary form of government in which such a blow to a core agenda/principle is dealt? (cf, British PM Cameron after the Brexit vote). I note that Peter Carpenter has called upon Elizabeth Lewis to step down. I believe many feel the same way. Why isn't she doing so?

Do they finally admit there are more voices to be heard on these issues, and this isn't a much higher stakes version of a "Mean Girls" movie in which other points of view are not only not heard, not tolerated, but ridiculed as DeGolia ridiculed Sandy during this debate?

This is an opportunity for this town to come together and honor the divergence of opinion. Will DeGoila and Lewis do so? Where are they on this issue? DeGolia came on these boards to advocate the parcel tax. Why isn't he coming on now to explain whether or not he heard what Atherton's taxpaying voters had to say yesterday?

We know you're out there, Rick.

" I note that Peter Carpenter has called upon Elizabeth Lewis to step down."

Wrong - I called for Mayor Lempres to step down because of his failure to LEAD on this issue. It is irresponsible for a Council to put a parcel tax on the ballot and then to have only DeGolia and Lewis actualyl work to pass the measure.

The Council should have realized that when only 61% of the voters supported Measure A on the Town Center - which did not involve a tax increase - that a new parcel tax would face a significant challenge. And why should voters support a parcel tax when Lempres, Widmer and Wiest were virtually silent.

And in contrast to previous parcel tax election losses this loss was by such a big margin that I do not think another attempt to pass it would even come close to the required 67%.

Measure A was advisory only and supported, but did not require, the use of general funds for the new Town Center. If the Council now decides to "punish" the community by compensating for the lost parcel tax revenues by reducing essential services I predict that there will be a revolt.

Finally Athertonians supporting the parcel tax awakened from their stupor and killed the town's #1 rip off of property owners. The levy was nothing more than a run around end to lessen the effects of Prop. 13.

For a generation Atherton property has been leaping upwards in value to the extent that the town had more money, even with inflation, than ever before to spend on some high salaries, wasteful overtime and a few questionable projects. And this is just one town. The county's money handling is outrageous, starting with huge numbers of employees drawing eye-popping extra money that should be used to hire a few more persons instead.

For two Atherton elections a majority of stupid voters supported this sham to keep the local cesspool in royal shape. Now watch what happens next: Phony police and fire reductions, unrepaired streets, postponed maintenance. They'll show us. Thank goodness a few hundred voters woke up and realized Atherton's fat cows need not give in to all money demands.

Next step: Clean out the town council at the next elections.

I am very happy with this result. Atherton voters clearly understood that this parcel tax was only necessary — indirectly— to pay for an overpriced Town Center. Now it’s time to specify a less costly center with only essential elements. Beautiful is not necessary. LEED platinum is not necessary. Functional is beautiful.