Saratoga News

Letters

Are the schools really unsafe?

The voters are again being beseeched by activists for yet another tax-increase bond issue. Currently, the citizens of Saratoga are staring at Measure D, to make school building repairs.

We are all concerned for the education of our children under safe conditions, and this matter should be addressed properly. Are there really unsafe conditions existing?

Who said there are? Let's have a select third-party committee make a study to determine the extent of needed repairs and costs associated to implement such repairs.

Saratoga residents have been paying heavy taxes for years toward educational needs. An explanation is in order as to where these tax monies were used, and why they were not used on building reconstruction and repair. The school district was quick to sell off Congress Springs School. Why wasn't that money used for repairs?

Next, the $40 million asked for will be submitted to voters, but will Saratogans have an opportunity to participate in the purchase of these bonds? Of all the muni bonds issued in California, Saratoga is the safest. The people of this town should have the first opportunity to buy their own bonds, since they're the ones who will have to pay them off.

Before the school district goes any further, they should respond to these concerns first and give us acceptable answers. Merely complaining about these matters is not sufficient cause to burden the taxpayer more than he is now.

If there is indeed cause for a bond issue, and the financing of such is made public, I believe the public will endorse these measures.

W. E. Sirvatka

Glasgow Drive

Residents want kids in Cupertino schools

I want to take exception to the statement Torre Peña made in the front-page article of April 23, regarding redrawing school district boundaries.

In the article, he said, "Saratoga residents are angry that their children attend school in Campbell, Moreland and Cupertino." This may be true of Moreland and Campbell. I do not know. But I do know residents are not upset that their children attend Cupertino schools.

My husband and I deliberately bought in the Cupertino School District, so our children could go to Blue Hills School and Miller Junior High School. We have never been sorry, except for the way Saratoga treats us.

I will fight very hard to maintain our school district status. If the Saratoga School District needs more money, look elsewhere.

Nancy Hoffman

Puente Court

Engineer's office needs redirection

The Saratoga City Council recently adopted Resolution No. 97.11.3A concerning the 1997-98 proposed assessments for the City of Saratoga Landscaping and Lighting District LLSA-1. The city engineer sent letters to the affected property owners on the assessment district renewal for 1997-98. A ballot to vote for or against the proposed assessment was provided. The proposed assessment for my zone is an increase of 45.3 percent over the 1996-97 assessment.

The explanatory material states that "the enclosed ballot should be completed by indicating support for or opposition to the proposed assessment and the proposed rules for spreading assessment." Because of the ambiguity between the ballot and the additional material, I called the city engineer's office to get the official interpretation of the ballot. I was informed that a vote in support of the proposed 1997-98 assessment also constituted a vote for the proposed 1998-99 assessment and a five percent increase thereafter. There is a caveat that the city may impose an assessment that is less than the proposed assessment amounts.

Residents of the LLA District should consider the full impact of their vote, which would give approval for increases beyond 1997-98. In future years, the city of Saratoga would not have to submit to a vote for approval, although once a proposed assessment became known, homeowners could voice their opposition. The time to voice opposition is now at the upcoming meetings on May 7 and June 4.

The chief engineer's office clearly exceeded the intent of the resolution and needs redirection by the City Council.

S. Trusso

Williamsburg Lane

The environment must come first

As a one-time resident of Chiquita Court, your March 19 article regarding the environmental impact of the new subdivision began to raise many questions in my mind. First, I would like to applaud the Saratoga Planning Commission for taking the necessary steps in seeing to it that as little destruction of the environment is taking place as possible. Although the Environmental Impact Report is yet to be fully completed, the short article gives me enough reason to state that no houses should be built on that parcel of land.

Lush, rolling hills and extensive orchards were once the trademark of our quaint little town nestled in the valley. I wasn't alive when development slowly crept over the land and devoured the orchards, but I have been alive long enough to see expansive (and expensive) mansions be built amid what used to be tranquil forests. When will the line be drawn? When Saratoga is known for its large houses and once-topnotch schools, but now much too overcrowded for anyone to get a good education?

All I can say to the city government is this: The environment must come first at all times; what we trade off today will come back to haunt us when we realize that you can't take back what was never meant to be given away.

Alex Fields

Glen Brae Drive

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