What Do You See: The Forest or the Trees?

If 26¢ a day could cure cancer, or eradicate world hunger, or bring about lasting peace, would you chip in?

On November 8, voters in Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Westlake Village and Bell Canyon have an opportunity to decide on Measure K, a $95 per year parcel tax that would generate $2.2 million per year for eight years for Las Virgenes Unified School District.

Let’s dispense first with the irrefutable facts:

1. 100% of parcel tax funds stay in our school district. Not a penny is shared with Sacramento.
2. This is one of only a few mechanisms Sacramento allows local school districts to use to raise money from the communities they serve.
3. Senior citizens age 65 and over are exempt from paying the parcel tax.
4. Parcel taxes come with independent citizen oversight and annual audits, ensuring accountability.
5. No funds can be spent on administrator salaries or benefits.

Elections should generate vigorous debate and examination of issues and candidates, and it seems that this year’s election is not disappointing.

Elections also should present voters with weighty choices. If all we have are slam dunk decisions to make, then we don’t need elections, do we?

Measure K is bringing out a variety of voices in our community: those who are anti-tax in general; those who have issues with the management of LVUSD; those who feel that another levy in this economic climate is unrealistic; and those who feel that this measure is important to protect the quality of our schools and our community.

Wherever you stand within the spectrum, perspective is key.

There’s a new reality that’s been brewing for many years: quality public school education IS community supported.

The days of government footing the entire bill for quality education are long gone. But it seems our expectations have remained the same.

We can lambast our school administration, rail against our elected leaders, write heated letters to our newspapers, but it doesn’t change the most basic premise: Our Children Need to be Educated Today.

How many years of your child’s or any child’s education are you willing to sacrifice until everyone else gets it right?

Each day that our children do not get the educational opportunities they need is a day of potential wasted, for them AND for us.

By withholding local financial support of our schools, are you willing to sacrifice the ones among us who might ultimately cure cancer, or eradicate world hunger, or bring about lasting peace?

Are you looking at the forest or at the trees? Are you doing everything you can to effect change, or are you venting your anger and discontent at the expense of our community and our future?

Rather than focus your attention primarily at the efficiency of school administrators, have you looked at the quality of the programs our children engage in every day, in every school?

Have you examined the quality of our school district as compared to others? Have you asked yourself WHY so many families desire to send their children to our schools? Do you understand that each of these children brings over $5000 of state funding to our district?

Have you reminded yourself why you moved here in the first place? Whether or not it was specifically to send your children to our schools, the quality of our schools created a desirable lifestyle that to this day still attracts families to our communities.

Finally, have you figured out a better way to create a better future for less than 26¢ a day?

I may not care for every tree in the forest, but I’m grateful to have the forest, which supports all the trees.

Support yourself, your community and your future by financially supporting your local schools. Vote Yes on Measure K on November 8.