By Keep the pathway system
I certainly hope that the Los Altos Hills City Council keeps the current off-road pathway system. It is such a pleasure to be able to walk the dog around 5 o’clock as it cools off, away from the main roads and heavy traffic.
In the Town Crier article about the pathway system, one resident was quoted as saying that the off-road paths were OK in the past when the lots were bigger.
While there was more undeveloped land “in the old days,” I believe that the one-acre lots have always been the standard. However, the houses and landscaping were more modest and the lots were developed with the pathway easements in mind.
Even if the council chooses not to develop any more paths at this time, they should not give up the easements so that all options can be kept open for the future.
Dale PetersonLos Altos Hills
Get the vote out for the kids
If you don’t think Measure A is important, I’m not going to convince you otherwise. But if you do think Measure A is important, please get to the polls on Tuesday, April 9, and poke that stylus through the little hole that says “YES” on Measure A.
Why? It’s going to take two-thirds of us to make Measure A pass. And that means that if some of us stay home with a cold, and some of us are too busy, Measure A will flounder.
And if Measure A doesn’t pass, our schools and our kids are going to be in big trouble. We’ll become one of the most poorly funded districts in California.
Kids aside, no one pays a gazillion dollars to live in a poorly funded school district.
What will life without Measure A look like for our kids? Our junior high students will hit the streets about an hour earlier every day, because electives like instrumental music and languages will be cut. From kindergarten through eighth grade, libraries will close. We’ll have fewer teachers and class sizes will rise dramatically.
The very things that have made our schools top-notch since Measure A was introduced in 1989 will vanish.
What is Measure A? It’s a parcel tax that gives area kids some (but not all) of the programs that most of us took for granted when we were in elementary school and junior high. Measure A has been in place for the last 13 years, and now it’s time to give it a cost-of-education increase.
I want to keep living in a community that can get out the vote for its schools, its kids, and the people who teach them. Please vote Yes on Measure A, April 9.
Mary Cooper FelizLos Altos
District going to public trough again
Here we go again. Los Altos residents are now getting electioneering mailings claiming the Los Altos schools will be destitute and fall to the lowest level in California if the voters fail to approve Measure A, which will advanced at a special election on April 9.
There is no explanation why it could not have been on the ballot on March 5. Special elections cost tens of thousands of dollars, paid for by the taxpayers.
Every parent with children in the Los Altos school district will be badgered to vote for an increase well over 100 percent over the present parcel tax. It will go from $264 to $597 if Measure A passes.
Somehow, the school system manages to go to the trough on an all too regular basis. With economic conditions so bad in Silicon Valley, it takes a certain amount of chutzpah to ask us to more than double a tax on every parcel of ground in the district which includes areas outside of Los Altos.
KLASS seems to have more crust than a restaurant pie.
Charles HalleckLos Altos
Two misconceptions in Rosita pools letter
I was delighted to read Tracy Weiss’s letter in the March 20 Town Crier about the Rosita Pool - it shows her interest in town affairs and her desire to find a workable solution to local problems. Unfortunately, there are also two misconceptions in her letter that I feel should be brought to hers and your readers’ attention.
First of all, this is just not another swimming pool. This is an Aquatic Center with three pools, a far cry from the popular community pool at Covington. A center with three swimming pools with a full program of activities from 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. does not belong in the midst of a problem. Weiss certainly would appreciate if such a swimming complex were to be built on her street.
Secondly, Weiss refers disparagingly to the role of senior citizens in the community and their opposition to “programs for children.” If she would look around, she would find that our senior citizens in Los Altos are the backbone of the community and comprise the enormous cadre of volunteers who keep this community strong. They can be seen mentoring and tutoring children at our local schools, walking door-to-door supporting school bond ballot issues, raising money for educational programs in Los Altos, etc. And you will also find them sitting through endlessly long city council meetings taking elaborate notes to ensure that the Council fairly represents the people of Los Altos.
I only hope our younger citizens will be as active as today’s seniors when they reach that age.
Jim ThurberLos Altos
Abolish the Utility Users Tax
I suggest it is time for Los Altos to abolish the Utility Users Tax.
City Manager Dianne Gershuny, upon her departure, claimed there was a $3 million surplus in the coffers. Since then, revenue has been realized from Rambus, a hotel, and those horrendous PG&E bills. (My UU tax for 2001 on PG&E was $69.60.)
As a senior and 47-year resident of the “Village,” I would like respite from this tax.
I imagine there are others who feel the same.
Miriam B. HoodLos Altos
Mountain View High ‘fantastic!’
Wow! I just toured the new library at Mountain View High School. It is FANTASTIC!
Having been one of many who worked on all three of the bond measure elections that it took to finally raise the funds for the renovation of Los Altos and Mtn. View high schools, I can truthfully say - it was worth my time. And it is worth the taxes we all are paying for these new facilities.
Don’t take my word; go see for yourselves. Thank you to all who were involved with the planning and implementation. I am impressed.
Carole CameronMountain View
Cafe a well-kept secret in Los Altos
One of the best-kept secrets in downtown Los Altos is the good food now being served at the Cookie Cafe.
Two sisters recently took over this business and now, instead of only ice cream, yogurt and cookies, the menu includes tasty sandwiches and a different homemade soup every day. The soup is always delicious and unique. Everyone should try it just once and they would return on a regular basis, as I do.
It was quite a surprise the first time I went in for a yogurt a few months ago and discovered I could now drop in for a quick lunch. Give it a try, I know you’ll like it.
Gerry Reynolds
Los Altos
