Saratoga resident Aaron Katz has a similar opinion of the bond measure for the West Valley­Mission Community College District on the Nov. 2 ballot. He feels that Measure H is the wrong tax at the wrong time.

On Oct. 14, at a debate organized by the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce at West Valley College, Katz stepped up to put forth his views against the opinion of Jeff Schwartz, a trustee on the West Valley­Mission board, and Phil Hartley, the new president at West Valley College.

"I might be new here, but it took me very little time to realize that the bond measure was an absolute necessity for the college," said Hartley.

He talked about updating the science and technology labs at both colleges. "The labs that we have can support science and technology as it existed 30 years ago. But science and technology have changed a lot since then," he said.

Schwartz said that the fire-alarm system at Mission College was so antiquated that the college was close to being cited. "We have never passed a bond issue before," said Schwartz. "But there is no better investment than to invest in education."

Katz accused the community colleges of excessive spending over the years and of being unsympathetic to local homeowners. And he brandished 21 facts to support his contention. "Measure H is a creatively labeled tax against property," he said.

He indicated that instead of taxing homeowners, the college district should tax everyone. Katz said that Measure H hurts tenants, too, as it keeps them from trying to become homeowners. He also accuses the district of doing nothing to budget for capital expenditures that were inevitable. "I am not against education," said Katz later.

Schwartz said that Katz was a local property owner with multiple units and that is why he was so earnestly against Measure H. "We have cut and cut and cut," said Schwartz.

At the sparsely attended meeting, Katz also said that a vast number of students at the college were from outside the college district.