Menlo Park district puts the brakes on possible November parcel tax measure

They don't want to put a parcel tax on the ballot when they expect high voter turnout because it won't pass. What they want is a ballot that has very low voter turnout and they will directly contact people who would normally vote for the tax to get them to vote, while hoping everyone else is not aware of it and stays home.

I will state this again, in the last 7 years property tax revenue has increased by 80+%. Enrollment by less than 10%. Teachers salaries have not increased by that much. Where is the money going? Quit saying the parcel tax is for improving our schools or for the teacher salaries and justify where the money is going!

To answer your question, the extra money is going to pensions.

"To answer your question, the extra money is going to pensions."

Exactly. And the board knows damn well if they're honest with the voters about where all the money is going there will be zero chance another parcel tax will pass and they will have to start learning how to live within their means. Novel concept I know, but most of the rest of us have to do it.

And the fact that they keep lying to the voters telling them it is for school improvements, teacher salary, etc. is one of the reasons I won't vote for another parcel tax. It is bad enough that we are stuck with these unfunded pensions for teachers who have been with the district but the new teachers are getting the same thing and exaserbating the problem. Why can't the district negotiate something like 401K's for new teachers that don't make this problem worse. In the mean time NO to any new parcel taxes and shame on the board for trying to sneak them past voters.

"Why can't the district negotiate something like 401K's for new teachers that don't make this problem worse. "

Can you say "teachers' union"? That's why. That and the board doesn't have the stones to stand up to them.