From my understanding Town (and many of the stores on Laurel Street) are locally owned. You do understand that “skipping dinner at Town” impacts your neighbors, right? And losing small, locally owned businesses impacts your quality of life, right? And your property values, right?

Maybe you were just trying to make a point, but to be honest it grates on me a bit. I chose to move here because of the schools and the small town feel. I could have saved $20 by skipping the Pancake Breakfast at Hometown Days too.

Why do you presume to tell me how I should spend the little disposible income I have?

If you were required to pay if it passed would you have voted against it?

While on a fixed income, would you say that there is no room in your budget for $6.50 per month if you had to pay for it?

I am just trying to get into the head of a senior citizen who clearly saw this opt-out exemption as a bribe for a yes vote. If that is the case, it really is unfair to the rest of us that voted against it, effectively canceling out our votes by a vast margin.

It’s a form of politically ganging up on us to avoid trying to pass a measure based soley upon its merits.

I am pretty surprised that people don’t realize that they will get way more back then their investment of $78/yr when they go to sell their house. Personally, I would prefer to attract people to San Carlos who value education. Chuck has already pointed out that the area in SC that has the Redwood City school district has a lower price/sq ft then those in the SC school district. I would actually like to see a higher tax similar to Menlo Park, Palo Alto and Piedmont where the schools are stellar and people are willing to pay way more for their properties per sq foot to get into these districts. Great schools would create more demand for our real estate, not to mention making our neighbors kids more well rounded and educated.

Michael – I think you were the one who brought up gay marriage and taxes. Although I am not gay and probably can’t understand all your hardship, I sympathize with your feeling of paying taxes, yet not feeling as if you are being treated equally. I hope you have found San Carlos to be a friendly welcoming city. I find it an open accepting place for the most part. If it is any comfort, I noticed that almost all of my neighbors who have yes on Measure B signs on their front lawns also had No on 8 signs up. They had them up long after the voting was over. I hope you will not equate Measure B with Prop 8.

I also question the legality of putting a measure on the ballot, exempting certain people from having to pay if it passes, yet allows those same people to vote on it. In addition, wouldn’t seniors also benefit from the assumed property value increase/protection (at least $6.50 per month)? Why hasn’t a case been made to them to support this measure?

No, instead the easy road is taken and blatantly buys their vote by exempting them from having to pay the tax.

This is yet another inequity: seniors further profiting on the backs of the rest of the taxpayers. With all the talk about taxing our children and childrens’ children, is this any different? I am reminded twice a year how my parents chose to tax me by voting for Prop 13…it never seems to end.

HOW IS THIS FAIR AND WHY ARE THESE PEOPLE BEING PROTECTED?

At least on this blog, not one person has answered or addressed this question.

I have yet to hear back from our city attorney’s office; I have asked twice already.

I guess if those of us against this measure can be stalled long enough, the measure should pass?

Basically, campaigns are run (and funded) by individuals who have a passion for the cause. The school district does not (and legally can not)sponsor the effort and not one penny of public funds goes to support such a campaign.

Essentially there is a large number of extemely motivated citizens who understand how critical it is that this measure passes, and the devasting loss to our children (and our property values) if the measure fails. Obviously these folks are putting in a lot of their own time and money to make sure it happens.

By the way, it seems a bit odd to quote statistics that include a large bunch of folks who aren’t impacted by a tax. Do you think that so many seniors would have supported previous measures had they been financially affected?

And please… telling me that I don’t support school children just to make a point is just insulting. Either you agree with me or you don’t, but don’t patronize me by telling me to “think of the children!”