Forgive us, but we are still reeling from sticker shock. The Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District seeks to pass Measure E, a $295 million bond, on the June 5 ballot to expand, improve and update facilities. The district needs only 55 percent of the vote to pass the measure.

Needless to say, that’s a lot of money, even by 2018 standards. Just eight years ago, MVLA asked voters to approve $41.3 million in new bonds to build new classrooms and update facilities. At $30 per $100,000 of assessed valuation, Measure E would cost voters up to $300 annually on a home assessed at $1 million. (The district’s 2017-2018 figure for median assessed valuation is $939,364.)

Note: This editorial has been updated to correct factual errors.

A healthy community fosters a forward-thinking approach while recognizing and appreciating its history. Los Altos is such a community.

The Downtown Vision project that is set to wrap up this year stands to establish an exciting blueprint for a vibrant city center in the decades ahead. On the history side, Los Altos boasts a state-of-the-art museum that is the envy of surrounding communities.

Megan V. Winslow/Town Crier

Here at the Town Crier, our goal for more than 70 years hasn’t changed. We want to be your source for accurate community news that helps you know what’s going on around you.

As we strive to cover more of what’s happening at our city halls and school district offices, in our classrooms and on our athletic fields, we need your help. In addition to the weekly newspaper, we are trying to get timely news out to readers via our weekly email alerts and website, along with Facebook and Twitter.

The new state law legalizing marijuana has prompted cities like Los Altos to enact ordinances temporarily preventing commercial uses while leaders consider permanent regulations.

The Los Altos City Council’s recently approved urgency ordinance bans retail sales, but only until late November. Meanwhile, city staff have been asked to observe the impact of the law on other communities and report back. Of the options available, Los Altos could allow limited sales – one council member suggested along El Camino Real.

Let’s make one thing perfectly clear: We think smoking is a disgusting habit. Secondhand smoke is an irritant at best and a killer in the worst-case scenario.

But Los Altos’ recently approved smoking ban – prohibiting smoking virtually everywhere except in the privacy of one’s home – is misguided and pretty much a useless piece of legislation. While we appreciate the motivation behind it, it is a hollow law from a practical standpoint.

The Los Altos School District and the city of Mountain View are to be commended for cementing a partnership last week that will likely lead to establishing a 10th school site in the city’s San Antonio neighborhood.

Many hurdles lie ahead, including a potential legal fight from the preferred site’s current owners, but we appreciate two of our major local agencies coming together to address the projected growth and resulting needs of the area.