Editorial: Piedmont voters should support Measures B and E

PIEDMONT HAS has always had a reputation for having excellent schools. Its public school system, one of the best in the state of California, consistently turns out students who go on to top-notch colleges and universities around the country.

Residents of this city of 11,000 paid top dollar for their homes, in large part because of the high quality of the public schools.

Like school districts across the state, Piedmont has suffered deep cuts in its state funding that make it impossible to continue the existing level of programs without an infusion of new funds.

The district is now facing a $1.6 million shortfall for 2009-10. Beginning June 30th, pink slips will start going out.

On Tuesday, Piedmonters will go to the polls to vote on two parcel tax measures. Their passage is key, supporters say, if Piedmont is to maintain first-rate public schools. Both taxes require the approval of two-thirds of voters.

Measure B would renew an existing parcel tax that levies about $2,082 per year per average parcel, for another four years. If that is approved, it will take effect beginning in 2010-11. The tax could increase 5 percent per year, to be determined by the school board.

Measure E is a new "emergency" tax that would levy an additional $249 per average parcel per year. It is a flat tax that would remain the same throughout its three-year term.

School officials say that if the state budget improves at any point during the three years, they can choose not to levy the emergency tax.

If Measure B, the "core" parcel tax, does not pass, the district must lay off one-quarter of its work force, about 80 full-time positions. Even if both taxes pass, the district still will have to eliminate 10 full-time positions.

Those kinds of deep cuts, clearly, would damage school programs.

Unlike many other cities, Piedmont is blessed to be an affluent community. No one likes to see their taxes go up, but Piedmont residents, at least have resources. What they must ask themselves is how much they value their quality schools.

Do they care enough to step up to the plate? Piedmont schools are well run and offer a lot of bang for the buck.

We urge voters to support  Measures B and Measures E. But we have one important caveat. School district officials must understand that the emergency tax funds, if approved, are not intended to be a blank check.

Piedmont should move forward with plans for a Citizens' Advisory Committee to continuously assess the need for additional local taxes, and monitor how these funds are spent.