The parcel tax includes an accountability component, with a citizen's watchdog committee created specifically to monitor the budget. In addition, seniors 65 years and older who live in their own homes can apply annually for an exemption from the tax. Keeping schools clean Maintenance and upkeep would continue at schools with or without the parcel tax, but custodians could be hit with budget cuts if Measure E fails. School cleaning would have to be cut to every other day. Daily classroom cleaning provides a professional environment for teachers and reinforces the district's message that they are respected, district officials reasoned.
Parents expect cleanliness and sanitation in school bathrooms which depend on regular cleaning.
One way of understanding the district's dependence on the parcel tax is to examine the financial condition of the district prior to its inception. They had very low overhead - always have. State cuts A complicated state formula that dates back to 1972 puts the district third from the bottom in funding for districts in Santa Clara County. The formula was set when local expenditures were among the lowest in the state. As a revenue-limit district, Los Altos funding is curbed by such factors as limited commercial development, which translates to less revenue.