Comments by Brian Dantes

Measure S loses with 61% of the vote

Mr. Olson,

I do very much want to believe that the majority of us really have the same goal at heart: improving the schools for our children. I do hope fervently that the bitterness fades quickly and together we put something together via the bottom up this time. I am told that is how La Honda got some of their funding done - through grass roots consensus before it even reached the ballot. If that’s true, perhaps someone in that community can lend some advice?

Now a little bit about the statistics...I took a closer look at the web pages both you and Mr. Pettengill were referencing. I have to say I think you are right, but I can definitely see how the confusion arose.

The numbers Mr. Pettengill cited ($4,042 in our district vs. $1,852 in the average of all others) are from the 2004-2005 Revenue Limit Sources page. I think these numbers are the *total* amount of local property taxes of which only a portion goes to school district revenue. I notice that ours are very high in comparison - which makes a lot of sense given property values in the Bay Area compared to most of the rest of the state. Notice that our state aid is much less than the average as a result.

But as you indicated, I think the real numbers of interest are on the General Fund Revenues main page. Indeed, CUSD’s total revenue is 8% less than the statewide average. But what’s interesting is that the local funding (revenue limit sources, including a portion of our property taxes, and other local revenue (what is this if not parcel taxes?)) are both *higher* than the statewide averages. What drops the total down appear to be the federal and “other state” revenue sources. I’d sure like to understand why our district’s revenue is so much less than the statewide averages from these sources.

I’d like to see how we compare to other school districts with similar costs of living not only statewide but nationwide. But it appears to me that at least statewide, we are doing slightly to somewhat better than the average in terms of strictly local revenue for the schools. But because our cost of living is so much higher, and we have to pay more for quality teachers to consider coming and staying here, it stands to reason that our total revenue should be well beyond the statewide averages. So from that perspective, we are very underfunded. Does this capture what you’ve been trying to say?

So whose fault is all this? I think it’s certainly ours to a large degree - we enjoy the bounties of this area, and we pay for it in our costs of living every day. Are prices insane around here? Of course - but that’s reality. However, that all said, a big question here has been raised for me: why are we getting lower federal and state funding in some areas? I bet it’s based on population or something.

Bottom line for me, $175/parcel is not nearly enough in all likelihood. But the concerns regarding oversight, the allotment of funds, and the exemptions are real and legitimate and need to be taken very seriously in the next effort. Frankly, I wouldn’t blink an eyelash at $250-$300 as long as the extra amount was specifically targeted at teachers’ *merit-based* compensation.

I’d like to close this particular monologue in this long diatribe with a thanks to the teachers in our schools. It must be frustrating and discouraging in the extreme to feel that the community doesn’t appreciate you at all. As I have come to know this community better, I do not believe that is true of the vast majority. We entrust our most precious treasures to you everyday, and I have confidence that we as a community can get it together and fix this.

Brian Dantes
El Granada

Measure S loses with 61% of the vote

Mr. Olson,

You wrote “give me one benefit our children have received by measure S not passing? All you stated above is just how much you dislike the board.”

Despite the need for funding (which I happen to agree with you is correct—in spite of the flurry of confusing statistics), such funding does no good if there is little faith in the managers of that money. And such unfortunately is the case between the electorate and CUSD. Measure S had good goals for the funding (although I and others believe busing should be part of it too), but the oversight was not enough for some voters. The dislike/distrust of CUSD of course directly impacts such funding measures, since they control the purse strings. Unless the voters have rock solid assurances and legislative checks that the money is being spent as they intended, they’re not going to do it. As far as I could tell, if CUSD decided to spend Measure S funds on spurious stuff - voters’ only recourse would be the ballot box and the courts. The former would be closing the barn door after the horse has left, and the latter would cost more of the voters’ money as well as yet more CUSD funds that should go to our kids.

Mr. Johnson’s alternative measure provides for much stricter controls over CUSD’s ability to disburse those funds and that is one its main appeals to me.

It is deeply sad that there seems to be such a huge disconnect between CUSD and its constituents. Hopefully, CUSD will take this to heart. But if not, we have a chance to improve things in November.

I have also learned that CUSD spent over $50K (not $35K as I previously stated) marketing Measure S. $35K of it was donated from private sources, so I have no objection to that. However, the remainder was taxpayer money spent marketing another tax—and now there is discussion by the PTA and other groups to restore that money from private sources. I doubt if I’m the only one who feels that this is yet another example of CUSD mismanagement. I don’t think this money should be restored to CUSD directly—but anyone so inclined to restore these funds should give directly to their schools.

Brian Dantes
El Granada

Measure S loses with 61% of the vote

Mr. Olson,

“Valid” is onviously a subjective term in this discussion, but I’m truly amazed that you found none of the arguments I made in my earlier post to be so: <http://coastsider.com/comments/1429_0_1_70_C/>

I know for a fact that I am not the only parent with kids in CUSD, arguably the group with the most vested interest in seeing Measure S pass, that had these concerns.

Do you honestly not find Ken Johnson’s alternative measure much more reasonable given that there is a deep loss of faith in the board?

I believe the board and the funding are directly related, for it is they who manage the money. I for one don’t quibble with the amount of the parcel tax at all. I’d happily pay more than $175 per year if I thought the money would be managed well.

I do agree with you heart and soul on one point - it is our children who have lost here. That’s why I ultimately did vote for the measure in hopes of holding CUSD accountable in other ways.

But I don’t want the community to give up—I’d like to see the same old tired approaches given up. Let’s start with Ken Johnson’s alternative measure (with an income-based exemption rather than one for seniors) and toss it around in a grass roots fashion until it popularly polls with the required support. Then and only then put it back on the ballot for a vote. And let’s throw $35,000 at the teachers of our choice directly this time instead of a marketing campaign.

I think if we all pull together, we could do it by November. What do you say?

Brian Dantes
El Granada

Measure S loses with 61% of the vote

Mr. Schiller,

I’m trying to temper my reaction to your inflammatory post. Perhaps you missed Mr. Parr’s earlier admonition for civil posts(*)? I and others with children in CUSD had serious reservations about Measure S—and none of us appreciate being labeled as “child abusers.”

I’m also sorry that you consider rectifying some of the major misgivings with Measure S as “fine-tuning.”

I find people of your type of “faith” to be far less “understanding” and more “ugly” than we “barbarians.”

Brian Dantes
El Granada

(*) Honestly, what’s the point in having a moderated list if posts like this are allowed?

Measure S loses with 61% of the vote

I have also heard rumored that over $35,000 was spent marketing Measure S. That’s a good chunk of a teacher’s annual salary.

The alternative measure on cusd.info looks reasonable to me although I’d like to see any exemptions removed unless they are based on verfifiable income levels. But Mr. Johnson’s efforts hits on the key issues—that any measure will have to acknowledge the electorate’s deep distrust of CUSD and include strong oversight.

But most importantly, the next effort needs to go through a lot of grass roots public review to have any chance of getting a super-majority. Perhaps iterations of such a measure could be posted by Mr. Johnson or our wonderful hosts here at Coastsider along with polls. Maybe then we could come up with something that works.

Brian Dantes
El Granada

Measure S loses with 61% of the vote

It is with mixed feelings but no surprise that I saw Measure S defeated (by even a larger margin than the last attempt, no?). I definitely think our kids lost out here, and I read in the HMB Review online article that supporters don’t anticipate trying again in the “foreseeable future.” I think that would be a sad mistake.

Please see my June 6th post in “Coastsider endorses Measure S” thread for why I think Measure S didn’t garner the super-majority it needed <http://coastsider.com/comments/1429_0_1_70_C/>. But let me reiterate the following here too:

I finally voted for Measure S despite all my reservations. I lay the failure to pass it completely at the feet of CUSD in making it so difficult to support. If I, a parent with two children in the district, found it hard to support this measure - think how others with no children felt.

I hope we can get together as a community and fix what was wrong with Measure S and do what is right for our schools.

Brian Dantes
El Granada

Albertsons closing in HMB

If folks are serious about this, I suggest you start showing up at HMB Council meetings and making your desires known. But as I said above, I bet this doesn’t stand much of a chance. A vendor like Trader Joe’s or Whole Food’s isn’t going to come over here without support and encouragement from the local government, and I bet HMB local merchants will actively be against such an idea. You can bet that HMB Council won’t help out—look how they’ve shot everything else down (like a movie theatre).

Brian Dantes
El Granada

Albertsons closing in HMB

Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods would be fabulous.

But I bet HMB local merchants will resist.

Brian Dantes
El Granada

SamTrans adding buses from Coastside to BART

What about all the people between Montara and HMB? Are people from El Granada or Miramara, for example, supposed to drive to one of those stops and catch the bus there? Why isn’t Princeton Landing (where there’s a park and ride lot now, right?) one of the stops?

Also, the last bus at 630pm out of San Bruno BART is a bit early for some workers.

Finally, an express bus to a Caltrans station (San Mateo, for example) would be nice.

Brian Dantes
El Granada

SamTrans hasn’t addressed Coastside concerns

Mr. Lundell,

I simply don’t buy the argument of hobbling infrastructure needed for current needs based on the premise that it will encourage further growth and a never-ending cycle. In the near term, average families have to endure the existing infrastructure - and major social changes take time. It is simply intractable to get everyone onto mass transit overnight.

I liked much of what your wife, Ms. Chamberlain, had to say at the MCCC meeting in terms of what she’d like to do to protect the Coastside. I’d really like to vote for her - her forthright common-sense approach is refreshing. However, unless she can temper her views to be more realistic regarding short-term infrastructure needs, I will be forced to send my vote to Mr. Gordon.

Ms. Chamberlain indicated her support for other infrastructure needs on the basis of safety, such as the redundant fiber optic links to the Coastside. In my view, traffic mitigation aside, a road parallel to SR1 and widening SR92 fall into that camp.

I sent a letter to Ms. Chamberlain asking for her views. Maybe she could post a letter to the editor here? I would love to have a strong no-nonsense Coastsider on the Board of Supervisors. I hope Ms. Chamberlain can give me and others reason to vote for her.

Also, I somewhat agree with your sentiments regarding Measure S, unfortunately. I will probably vote for it this time despite having voting against all the times in the past. But I would have been *much* happier had they earmarked funds for busing too.

Brian Dantes
El Granada

SamTrans hasn’t addressed Coastside concerns

Ms. Chamberlain and Mr. Lundell,

I don’t think anyone wants a huge buildout of roads. However, I think most people are moderate and want something in the middle. The current roads are inadequate for the current needs - both for capacity and emergency access. There needs to be parallel access to all of the communities beside SR1. 92 needs to be 4 lanes all the way to 280—particularly given all the heavy truck traffic from the quarry and the dump. The state of congestion on that road (even when Devil’s Slide is operational) is outrageously unsafe. The road is hideously inadequate for past needs—much less current or future ones.

That said, I think most Coastsiders would also support capping growth through *actually enforced* legislation and better long-term buildout of public transit.

There has to be a middle ground. The current roads come nowhere close to meeting the needs of the people who are *already here*. Close the barn door by all means...but don’t burn it down to boot.

Brian Dantes
El Granada

Travel times on Highway 1 are now available

Between 850am and 930am this morning, the traffic was quite thick from Princeton’s Landing all the way to SR92. So I don’t think the traffic at Capistrano Road in El Granada was the only issue. In all fairness, I did not notice any issue with merging with northbound SR1 traffic this morning, but this was well after folks would have dropped kids off at school. But now that school is almost out—we’ll never know if the metering lights would have helped with that traffic. Thanks a lot HMB.

Brian Dantes
El Granada

Travel times on Highway 1 are now available

Mr. Lansing,

Since you were there, I know you recall that Mr. Keyhan Moghbel at Caltrans told the HMB City Council that his traffic engineer travelled SR1 four or more different times over several days. From that data, they determined that the SR1/SR92 intersection was the root cause chokepoint and thus decided to install the metering lights.

I have no explanation for the apparent sudden decrease in transit times. It’s certainly good news - but I hesitate to rely on it as an established trend. The last time I drove ELG-HMB at 630am was on Thursday, May 25th, and it took 35 minutes.

And while I would agree with you that Caltrans *should* use good data to make decisions, I still think you and others are wrong to insist that Caltrans has any legal burden or obligation whatsoever to a city when implementing traffic mitigations on state highways.

What is especially heinous is this spurious three week delay that the HMB Council somehow forced on the entire Coastside before discussion would even begin. If Caltrans had proceed as they originally planned, we would already had answers by now.

It may be that other factors are at play - and maybe the metering lights exacerbate rather than help. But that’s not the point—the point is how HMB officials managed to force their self-serving interests on the rest of us regarding a shared resource - not only with the resistance to the Main Street closures but with this. To resist even trying alternatives is bull-headed in the extreme.

Please Mid-Coasters, show up at the June 6th HMB City Council meeting and let them know how you feel.

Brian Dantes
El Granada

Travel times on Highway 1 are now available

Mr. Lansing,

I have noticed in the past week or so that traffic is lighter than it has been on the tail end of the morning commute. I have no explanation. However, it is my understanding that the early commute (from 6am to about 730am) is still hell.

Is there a way to see trended data on 511.org for a particular time of day?

Brian Dantes
El Granada

Caltrans seeking consensus, not approval, from HMB on traffic light

Ms. McGuire,

It’s not Caltrans that is “dithering” or going to “discuss the study” - it’s the HMB City Council. Caltrans was fully prepared to enable these lights a couple of weeks ago and “monitor the situation” just as you suggested—but HMB officials obstructed them.

You should write the HMB City Council and show up at their next meeting on June 6th. They need to know that people consider their actions inappropriate. You should also make your feelings known to Caltrans: Keyhan Moghbel, project manager at Caltrans and Bijan Sartipi, district manager at Caltrans

Brian Dantes
El Granada

Caltrans seeking consensus, not approval, from HMB on traffic light

Caltrans was prepared to turn these lights on over a week ago - but the HMB City Council somehow successfully stalled them until June 6th at a minimum. This despite Mr. Keyhan Moghbel’s promise during the previous council meeting that the lights would be disabled if they didn’t provide an overall good. Mr. Moghbel also stated that their traffic engineer had already established that the merge was causing a problem with the main choke point at SR1 and SR92 - so a further traffic study should have been unnecessary. My unsubstantiated belief is that HMB officials threatened Caltrans with a lawsuit, and Caltrans is only doing this extra study as insurance against such a frivolous action.

I find it reprehensible that HMB has stood in the way of this traffic mitigation. I for one will be at the June 6th Council meeting to tell them so. I copied Coastsider and the Review on a letter I sent to Caltrans and the HMB Council members regarding this issue (to which I have only received one response, a courteous albeit curt reponse from Bonnie McClung).

Brian Dantes
El Granada

Highway 92 travel times are now online

I believe the 511.org info is also based on readings from the solar-powered radar transmitters that Caltrans has mounted up and down Highway 1. These are all over the major interstates in the Bay Area as well.

Brian Dantes
El Granada

Opinion: Fear of Foothill

As someone paying a little more than the “slightest bit of attention” (to use Mr. King’s words), I will gladly admit to being lost in the morass of arguments presented for and against this bypass. But as a layperson with regards to all of this, I can emphatically assert that common sense dictates that a parallel route to SR1 is needed not just to what is being proposed here but all the way to Montara! And traffic mitigation is not the only reason - safety and emergency access is another.

Whether or not the current CCF proposal is the exact right one - I don’t know. But something needs to be done—and it needs to start right away. Mr. Ferreira and others, if the proposed bypass is not right for some reason - please put forward a suggestion that is in your view.

I am frustrated beyond words at the amount of inertia to get anything done in this area. Ideas and solutions are needed rather than just shooting down everything and never trying anything.

How about a private road paid for with coastside community only bonds and restricted to only residential traffic? I would *gladly* contribute more of my tax dollars to such an effort. It could even be a toll road to finance its maintenance in the future.

Brian Dantes
El Granada

Opinion: Fear of Foothill

Mr. Woren,

The horse has already left the barn regarding the people who already live here. The infrastructure is simply dangerous and inadequate for the existing population.

Now I respect your arguments about unending growth—and I’ll vote enthusiastically for measures that severely cap growth across the board no exceptions with strict enforcement. But I see that as orthogonal to rectifying the situation at hand for the existing citizens.

And at the MCC meeting tonight, I won’t certainly be looking for the Supervisors who say they understand and agree with both of these goals.

Brian Dantes
El Granada

Opinion: Fear of Foothill

Mr. Muteff,

Thank you very much for this informative post. Please keep the information flowing in this forum - which political candidates and measures support this vision and vice versa.

Brian Dantes
El Granada

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