Letter: School parcel tax for our own good

EDITOR,
Several recent letters were critical of a parcel tax to support our Scotts Valley schools. We should all realize our schools have already made severe budget cuts year after year after year.
One letter said that current parents should pay $312 per child per year instead of taxing property tax owners. The district did have a dollar-a-day program, and my family always donated to it, but it is not reasonable to force our school district to run on donations for basic operating expenses. Believe me, anyone with a child in our schools is already contributing to endless raffles, contests, sales, buying supplies, etc. I believe most parents help the schools as best they can. I would like to point out that property values in Scotts Valley are in no small part supported by the incredible success of our schools. If you would be required to pay a parcel tax, you would have also benefited financially from our schools.
Another person was against the parcel tax because it would affect people on a fixed income. As much as I love my retired neighbors, it is true that because of Proposition 13, their property taxes are already a fraction of mine.
The fact is, most of us went to public school somewhere, and taxpayers supported us. Now it is our turn. Anyone against tax measures for our schools should visit our middle school and Brook Knoll School on the weekend to see for themselves the old — I hate to say dumpy, because my kids have had wonderful years in them — portable classrooms and World War II-era relic buildings.
For our own good, our schools and our students deserve better.