The district will potentially ask voters in November to support a $100 parcel tax that could raise as much as $1.8 million. There are 18,000 parcels within district boundaries, including seniors that could be excluded from paying the tax.

On June 17, the district's board will reexamine the issue, discussing the process of educating the community and conducting a poll of support from residents.

But a weightier question that faces the board is, what will the parcel tax fund that voters will support? And second, is $100 the right amount to ask for?

"Don't poll the people until you've told them what you need," said Saratoga High School English teacher Kerry Mohnike on June 3. Mohnike, a member of the district's budget committee, said it was essential to educate the community of the parcel tax's benefits and the difference between parcel tax and bond money. The district's bond supports facility construction but cannot be used to fund programs or staff.

"We have a beautiful building, but if you don't have a band, and you don't have drama, and you don't have English classes, your school suffers," Mohnike said.

According to Chief Business Officer Bob Peterson, the district will "test" funding priorities in the community; if, for example, property owners would rather use parcel tax dollars for class size reductions or categorical programs.

"With our situation, we won't know until who knows when," said board member Cynthia Chang, referring to the tenuous situation of education budget funding at a state level. Although Gov. Gray Davis may not approve a state budget until well into the fiscal year, school districts must meet deadlines to produce budgets and make personnel decisions. "So how do you decide how much to ask for?" Chang said.

Superintendent Cindy Ranii said a phone poll conducted in February had indicated that there was two-thirds support for a $100 tax but insufficient support for a $250 amount.

A parcel tax campaign, Peterson said, would cost approximately $200,000. The money would come out of the district's special reserves.

If the parcel tax was to pass, however, many Los Gatos residents would have to pay two such costs. Most of those in the high school district already have a $290 parcel tax for the Los Gatos Union School District. The Saratoga Union School District, on the other hand, does not have a parcel tax for its property owners.

Board members were unanimous in their support of a possible parcel tax, and urged that the superintendent continue her research.

"I've never, in any district, seen teachers come forward" to raise support for the schools, said board member Lorrie Wernick. Along with Mohnike, Los Gatos High School social studies teacher and budget committee member Kevin Rogers asked for the board's consideration of a parcel tax. "I'm really enthusiastic about moving ahead just because of the team effort in this district," Wernick added.

"The last thing we want to do is ask our very generous community for more money," Mohnike said. "But we need it."