As a person without kids how would I know if I live in the district in question? Some kids go to this school, some kids go to that school. I read about kids having to travel accross town when there are schools closer to where they live, make no sense and the poeple asking for the money never spelled out who percisly takes the hit.

If you're a registered voter and you got the ballot in the mail then you're in that district. If you didn't get the ballot then you're not.

If you're in Castro City then you're not in that district.

As of 5pm today, the updated results show that the measure is passing by a mere 0.09 percent. That is one extremely thin margin. Next update at 5pm on Friday. LASD should at least now realize that a lot of people are not pleased with their fiscal performance.

Is time for a Prop 218 ballot petition to try and overturn the existing $597 parcel tax? Ron, I'm ready to sign it.

Correction: The measure is passing by 0.48 percent. I was thinking 67.0 was the cut off, but it is 66.7. The YES votes currently have 67.08 percent.

Manual recount first! We need to turn 57 Yes to No!

This additional revenue for LASD is GOOD for Bullis Charter school, as there is a serious threat of increased class sizes w/o the extra cushion, and BCS would then be offered fewer classroom spaces as well. Not to mention that 90% fo BCS kids live in LASD and their parents' home values are at stake. A house in the Mtn View Whisman elementary district of similar size and lot dimensions will sell for 1/3 to 1/2 LESS than in Los Altos. This has nothing to do w/the quaint village atmosphere, and EVERYTHING to do with the fact that the schools are ranked #1 in the state. Folks, on the east coast, public schools in communities similar to Los Altos (Westport, CT, etc), spend $14K/student/year. Even with the new parcel tax, LASD is spending about $4 K LESS per student per year (as is the charter school) as California has a different, and very punitive, funding mechanism for high net worth communities. The only way to stay competetive both statewide and nationwide is to attempt to fund our schools in a comparable way. The kids in LASD eat outside under trees, have 40 plus kids in music classes in the middle school, and no buses. They are NOT spoiled, and the teachers are not sucking the district dry. Around the country, salaries make up 80% of more of costs, this is a fact. Go to ncs.ed.gov to get the facts on school funding. You will be APPALLED at how little we spend out here relative to the rest of the country. It is emabarrasing given our relative wealth and a disservice to the children.

"A house in the Mtn View Whisman elementary district of similar size and lot dimensions will sell for 1/3 to 1/2 LESS than in Los Altos."

That is simply not true based on my own experience.

I don't think it's 1/3 and definitely not 1/2, but Los Altos School District homes do sell for more than an apples-to-apples counterpart in MVWSD. For instance, you might pay the around same for a 1800-sq ft 3 bedroom/2 bath in Varsity Park (Springer, LASD) than a 2200-sq ft 4 bedroom/2.5 bath in Waverly Park (Huff, MVWSD).

This article ends, "The Santa Clara County elections office reported Tuesday night that the vote is 8,977 in favor to 4,354 opposed, with all 16 precincts reporting. An updated tally is due at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 4."

The printed version ends, "The Santa Clara County elections office reported Wednesday afternoon that the vote is 9,187 in favor to 4,509 opposed, with all 16 precincts reporting. An updated tally is due by 5 p.m. Friday, May 6. Check www.mv-voice.com for an updated story."

OK, so where is the updated story?

Ron - since you keep saying the problem is how LASD mismanaged it's funds I'd be interested in how you would do a better job and how the charter manages. What is Wanny's salary, pension, benefit package, and extras (housing etc)? What are the teachers paid? How often are your classrooms cleaned and do use staff or a professional cleaning service? How do you provide for special needs students, ELL students, poor dtudents? f these are issues that you have problems with at lasd, how is the charter different?