Los Gatos and Saratoga residents who are also active voters—exactly 450 of them—received 15-minute phone calls between Sept. 2 and11 regarding a parcel tax voter survey. Amy Simon, with Goodwin Simon Strategic Research, and consultant Jared Boigon, from the firm of Terris, Barnes and Walters, gave the Los Gatos­Saratoga Joint Union High School District board members the results of that survey at the board's Oct. 7 meeting. The contractual agreement with the research group, costing the district almost $18,000, helped gauge the level of support for a possible parcel tax measure in a March 4, 2004, election.

The board members didn't take any action during the meeting about a possible parcel tax, but further discussion is scheduled for their Oct. 21 and Nov. 4 meetings. The parcel tax, imposed on owners of parcels of land within the district boundaries, could bring $1.4 million annually, and there are approximately 18,000 parcels within the district, according to Superintendent Cindy Ranii.

Survey results demonstrated that senior citizens over age 65 would be exempt from the possible parcel tax. Those people surveyed also indicated they value the high quality of schools in the district. In addition, they thought the quality of district schools is closely tied to property values.

A simulated final vote showed only 68 percent of those surveyed were in favor of the parcel tax at $89 per parcel. If that vote had come in at 80 percent, Ranii said it would be different.

"It's cause for pause," Ranii said. "The survey results show there's an adequate chance, but the numbers are not overwhelming. You need a two-thirds majority for it to pass."

She said it will be a thoughtful and prudent judgment call by the board as to whether to go forward with the parcel tax measure.

"It would take a vigorous and energetic campaign to bring in a two-thirds vote," she said.

Twenty-nine percent of those surveyed couldn't rate whether the district spends money efficiently. Simon said this could be because these are uninformed voters or people who inherently think that government spends money poorly. Board member Cynthia Chang and Board President Phil Nielsen were discouraged by the results of the survey.

"I don't think those numbers are going to cut it," Nielsen said, adding that a previous campaign to pass a parcel tax took about 350 volunteers. "It took a lot of energy, sweat and tears to get there."

Simon said 55 percent of the voters thought the poor economy meant this is not a good time to raise taxes, and 45 percent didn't have a strong sense that the district actually needs more money, but should instead manage better what it already has.

With only eight weeks to go before the board must decide whether to go forward with the election, it will have to pick the best amount per parcel to tax voters—the recommendation being an $89 tax from the survey.

The board will also be taking into consideration the impact of a potential, concurrent countywide schools parcel tax as well as a library parcel tax in Saratoga. In addition, the Loma Prieta Joint Union Elementary School District will be holding a vote to renew a $150 parcel tax in March 2004.

Another part of the process will be to prepare the ballot language of the measure if it goes forward and communicate with parents, teachers and the community about the issue. Simon said a strong campaign, costing roughly $100,000, could increase the number of voters who want a parcel tax. She said the district is primarily composed of well-educated, yet tax-sensitive, voters.

"I'm not confident in our ability to run a strong campaign," said board member Jackie Schmidt­Posner.

During the meeting, Patricia Sutton and Arnaldo Rodriguex, department chairs at Los Gatos and Saratoga high schools, also gave the board members an overview of their respective schools' World Language Programs.

Director of Building Projects Richard Meyer and his assistant Renee Keane updated the board about current construction work on both of the high school campuses. The new Community Aquatic Center at Los Gatos High School will soon be full of water, and Meyer said classroom wings and Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramps and bathrooms at Saratoga High School also look as though they will be completed on time.

As for the Performing Arts and Lecture Center at Saratoga High School, Meyer said the construction crews have picked up the pace. Principal Kevin Skelly said deep, structural excavations for the foundations below the orchestra and rigging pits have been completed, and are ready for reinforcing steel and concrete. The PAL project is in the first of three phases of foundation construction, which will continue until the end of October. Structural-steel erection will follow the foundation, and should be under way by the first week of November. Skelly said the plan remains to have the facility up and running by the time school starts next fall.

Nielsen's term on a Santa Clara County committee on school district organization is expiring. There are 11 seats on the committee, and members are elected to four-year terms by representatives from the governing boards of the 37 Santa Clara County school districts.

While Nielsen said he didn't mind reapplying for another four-year term, he encouraged those from some of the district's feeder schools who have a passion for education to apply. All candidates must be registered voters and live in the district they wish to represent. They can't be employees of the school district but can serve on school district governing boards.

For more information, call 408.453.6500.