Saratoga News

Measure D passes by large margin

By Sarah Lombardo

Schools in the Saratoga Union School District are due for facelifts, and thanks to Saratoga voters, they're going to get them.

Measure D, the $40 million school bond measure, passed yesterday by 2,589 votes, 72 percent of the votes counted so far, according to the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters. The bond ensures funding of renovations and the construction of new classrooms at all of the district's schools, which includes Foothill Elementary, Argonaut Elementary, Saratoga Elementary and Redwood Middle School.

The measure's passage was a victory for SUSD Board of Trustee members and campaign volunteers, who have been stuffing envelopes and contacting residents in an effort to build support for the measure since March.

"I have to applaud the community for really taking responsibility for the children of Saratoga," said Board President Stephanie Petrossi.

Petrossi said that despite Saratoga's recent trend of voting down extra taxes--parcel taxes for school improvements were defeated in both 1991 and 1992--she was not worried about the measure's success once the campaign got off the ground. "I was concerned, but after talking with people and feeling the support from the community over the last several weeks, I felt confident that people would support the kids and the schools," she said.

Opponents of the measure called the results disappointing.

Elaine Hocker, involved in the "No on D" campaign, said she was disappointed with Measure D's passage and vowed to continue her fight to change a system she calls "mismanaged."

"I will not cease to resist and get this educational system revised," she said. Hocker said she knew of older families in Saratoga who could be hurt by the increase in tax the bond would bring, and said the 30-year bond was an unfair long-term obligation on the children of Saratoga.

"I don't think the funds are adequately managed at the administrative level, but Ižknow the problem is also mismanagement at the state level...The cost of education could operate at one-tenth of what it does now. I will continue to oppose taxing people at the ground level."

Measure D funds, by law, can only be used on renovations and construction, not salaries or administrative costs. It is expected to cost homeowners about $39 per year per $100,000 of assessed value of the house. Projects slated for bond measure money include the asbestos removal, classroom construction, seismic upgrades, interior lighting and ceiling upgrades and technology upgrades.

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