By C. S. Young and D. W. Young
Some opponents of school redistricting have been accusing proponents of having an ulterior motive for a "windfall," i. e. the increase of property value. It is already unfair that certain residents of Saratoga are denied access to the Saratoga Union School District. It is doubly unfair that fighters for justice are accused of being windfall-seekers.
Even if property values increase after redistricting, this should not be confused with the real issue, the education of Saratoga's young citizens. No Saratoga youth should be treated as a "marginal" person. Saratoga should take full responsibility for educating her own citizens, rather than sending them to schools in other cities.
It is ironic that the Campbell Union School District wants to retain these students who are abandoned by Saratoga, while Saratoga's school district does not want to fight to get its own children back. It seems apparent that people in Campbell have a much better business sense than those in Saratoga. Saratogans are blinded by irrational reasons and are unable to see the obvious financial gain from including these students in their own school district.
The people of Saratoga should be reminded that, after redistricting, these students no longer will be "out-of-district students." They will bring in valuable revenue for their school district, including $666 for each student, provided by the state. These students' property taxes will be allocated to the Saratoga elementary schools, high school and city, instead of Campbell. Most property owners in these marginal pockets do not have school-aged children, yet their property taxes also will be given to the Saratoga school district. In fact, some of these people have probably been paying higher property taxes than some residents within the current Saratoga school district who purchased their houses many years ago at inexpensive prices.
If there is a "windfall," the Saratoga school district will benefit from it. If the values of these properties increase after redistricting, we can predict more people will sell their homes. The state as well as the federal government will collect a large amount of taxes from the sale proceeds of each transaction. Additionally, the county will increase the property tax according to the new purchase price, and Saratoga and the school district will get their share of the benefit. There have been unprecedented renovations to properties in these pockets. This trend will continue, and Saratoga will reap additional revenue from the increased taxes for the renovated properties.
In short, Saratogans should open their eyes and act upon their business sense. Redistricting means increased revenues for the Saratoga School district. It is obvious that the past practice of denying access to these students did not solve any of the financial problems for Saratoga. Change is necessary. It does not make sense for Saratoga to give Campbell all of these desperately needed revenues.
Strong development of a city depends on a healthy sense of community among all of her citizens. The inconsistent school and city boundaries are detrimental to our sense of community. We should end this irrational segregation. Citizens, school and government officials of Saratoga should have the courage and determination to rectify this problem once and for all.
C. S. Young and D. W. Young reside on Paseo Presada, one of the pockets in Saratoga which is in the Campbell Union School District.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, April 23, 1997.
©1997 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.