By Traci Newell

As children in the Los Altos School District go back to school this fall, a committee of community members will go to battle in an effort to gain renewal of the $597 parcel tax on the November ballot.

The parcel tax, which will appear on the ballot as Measure H, would contribute toward keeping class sizes small at each grade level, hiring and retaining high-quality teachers, maintaining and strengthening academic programs at all grade levels and providing junior high students with electives in music, foreign language and technology.

“The general fund that comes with a revenue-limit school district is just barely enough to cover the basics,” Superintendent Tim Justus said. “It’s in districts that have parents and community members who support (them) with parcel taxes that you can enhance and build on those basics.”

Funds raised through the parcel tax account for 20 percent of the district’s annual educational budget.

Because the ballot measure is a renewal of an existing tax, passage requires a majority vote, rather than the two-thirds approval required to pass the initial parcel tax. The tax was raised from $264 to $597 in 2002.

“We don’t want to breed apathy from the voters because it only requires a majority vote,” Justus said. “We want people to fight for this, and we want to be assured we get this income.”

The argument in favor of Measure H that will appear on the ballot was submitted to the registrar of voters before the Aug. 16 deadline. Justus said no argument against Measure H was turned in.

“I think that is a good sign that indicates the community is behind us,” he said.

Justus said the Citizens Advisory Committee on Finance monitors the disbursement of parcel tax monies.

The volunteer organization Keep Los Altos Schools Strong (KLASS) will spearhead the campaign for the parcel tax. The committee consists of parents and high-profile community members, including Lou Becker, Bob Grimm, Amy Gaffney, Debbie Torok, Los Altos Mayor Ron Packard and Duane Roberts.

Committee Chairwoman Katie Matice said the organization needs to raise $60,000 to underwrite campaign costs. KLASS has raised nearly $13,000 through private donations. The money raised will finance promotional items such as mailers and road signs.

Last spring KLASS polled the community and found that Los Altos residents continue to place a high value on public education. Despite the good news, Matice said she hopes voters won’t take the parcel tax renewal for granted.

“We have a lot on the line,” she said.

Many KLASS volunteers are parents with children in the district. The organization plans to conduct extensive phone surveys to get the vote out among the community.

“We are aware that (public school) parents are only 20 percent of the voters,” Matice said. “It is critical that we get the message to seniors and households that aren’t in the school system.”