The first to approve its measure was Fremont Union High School District, which was initially planning to put a parcel-tax measure before voters in March 2005. But according to the district, finances became so dire that its plan had to be moved up.

As a basic-aid school district, Fremont Union is supposed to receive $120 per student based on daily attendance figures. But with the state's financial difficulties—and state schools only receiving half the amount promised through Proposition 98—that $120 amount has been cut. Remaining funding comes from local property taxes, which have also suffered during the recent economic downturn.

The district has already taken $8 million in cuts over the past two years and has recently approved several more cost-cutting measures—including a 4.9 percent pay cut for its teachers and increased efforts to weed out students who don't live in the district.

If passed, the Fremont Union parcel tax, Measure L, will raise approximately $5 million in its first year. The tax would apply to the owner of a specific parcel of land as identified by the Santa Clara County Assessor's Office—renters would not be subject to the tax. Seniors age 65 and older will be able to apply for an exemption.

Additionally, an independent oversight committee would be put in place to make sure the money raised by the tax is spent properly. The district says that money raised will go toward maintaining core classes, keeping qualified and experienced teachers on staff and continuing programs that help Fremont Union students get into college. A 66 percent approval rate is required for the parcel-tax measure to pass.

"If our high school district can't afford to have things like band, drama and AP classes, how are we going to compare with nearby districts when it comes to perception in quality?" says Holly Lofgren, who works on Fremont Union's behalf in the "Save Sunnyvale Schools" campaign.

Heading up the Sunnyvale School District side is board member Linda Kilian. "Eight years ago, we started renovations. We refurbished our learning environments, but not our infrastructure, and our schools are 40 to 60 years old," she says. The proposed $150 million bond measure, Measure P, which will add $24 per $100,000 of assessed value to property owners' tax bills each year, has been earmarked for building improvements and enhancements.

All Sunnyvale School District schools would receive improvements, from bigger libraries to utility upgrades to new windows. "Energy efficiency is a huge problem. Our district pays $600,000 a year on PG&E bills," Kilian says. "If we can replace these huge single windows with pane glass, that frees up more money."

According to the district, money has become more of a problem with businesses suffering the economic downturn throughout Sunnyvale. Earlier this year, the district laid off 13 classified employees, and the district recently slipped to a revenue-limit district designation because of declining property-tax revenue. "That knocked another $800,000 out of our budget," Kilian says.

The website for the "Support Sunnyvale Schools" campaign is located at www.yesonLandP.com.

Santa Clara Unified School District, which serves portions of Sunnyvale, is also placing a bond on the November ballot. Measure J, a $315 million bond, will also provide for school improvements, including seismic upgrades, making building exteriors safer and replacing inefficient utilities. Property owners in that district will pay approximately $58 per $100,000 of assessed property value.

Both bonds require 55 percent approval to pass, and if passed, both will be monitored by independent oversight committees. Seniors are not exempt from bonds, but the sum is tax-deductible.

However, there are also several groups campaigning against the measures, including the Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County. While the group's chairman, Allen Hacker, admits that the party didn't look at the specific finances of the districts before deciding to oppose the measures, he says that it's a matter of principle.

"We think school districts need to get their act together before the public OKs more money. Measures like these are passed on need and spent on want," he says, referring to the Valley Transportation Authority sales tax passed in 2000. "This is just one more of the same thing. Manufactured crises are coming out of the woodwork."

Sunnyvale voters will get to make their own determination on Nov. 2.