Posted by Just Curious
a resident of Menlo Park: other
on Oct 10, 2019 at 10:12 am

The Almanac has run some articles in the last few months that indicate enrollment in the local school districts are dropping (Portola Valley enrollment declines 4.5% this year) while at the same time property tax revenues are soaring. Portola Valley Property tax revenue is up almost 6% this year. Given that there are less students and more money how does the district justify not only renewing the current parcel taxes for 8 years but raising them as well?

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Posted by Parcel Tax Comment
a resident of Woodside: Kings Mountain/Skyline
on Oct 21, 2019 at 12:06 pm
Parcel Tax Comment is a registered user.

Just Curious asks a good question. Here's part of the answer:
Unlike many others up and down California, Portola Valley is a "community funded" district. That means property and parcel taxes account for 80% of school funding. Only 7% of the district's revenue comes from the state (the remainder comes from the local schools foundation at 6% and "other" sources at 5%). So the parcel tax, in part, fills in where other, larger districts' state funding otherwise would.
Without a new parcel tax, the district would lose nearly 8% of its funding. That's enough of a chunk to cause significant cutbacks in a district that, because of its small size, can ill afford to lose even one staffer. (Many staffers in the PVSD fill multiple roles, as is the case in most small companies and organizations.)
And yes property tax revenue is up but so are state and federally-mandated expenses: districts are now required to pay into increasingly strained statewide teacher retirement pension funds (a problem acknowledged statewide - even nationwide), the cost of teachers' healthcare plans are going up, and special education spending is projected to rise 21% statewide next year.
Those are just three examples of why, even though enrollment is dropping, a district's overall expenses can still go up.
The Portola Valley School District is no exception to the problems facing districts statewide.
Also, it may be helpful to note that the PV district has local financial oversight and audit committees. And two recent external audits, both by the state and by a private bond firm for Measure Z funds, showed it's spending its money wisely and carefully.