My last Council Corner I reported about the political signs going up all over the place. I have noticed as we grow nearer to the election that more signs are popping up like flowers in spring.
Now, something happened that is very serious. At our September 17th Council Meeting we had the Foster City High School Foundation give a presentation of their business plan. Also we looked at going to the vote of the Foster City registered voters with a general obligation bond to build the school building on the 4 acres site reserved for the charter high school. We found out that it is illegal for the City to do so.
Foster City legally cannot fund, build, put general obligation bond measures on a ballot, or help run a school. There is only one way the City can help and that is by creating a Mello-Roos special taxing district that would take possibly 3 separate elections: an advisory vote to spend time and money preparing for the formation of the district, a vote to form the district and a vote to authorize issuance of bonds to fund the construction of the school building. The last 2 elections would require a 2/3 votes to pass.
The Council voted not to proceed with creating a special taxing district. The taxing district would have a huge negative impact on property values in Foster City and all this for an estimate of 165 Foster City students out of the 500 students who would attend the charter high school.
Now comes the silly season again. The City Council is blasted by the Foster City High School Foundation, a San Mateo Union High School District Board Trustee and others for this decision. Since we found out it is illegal for our City to fund this building, I want to tell the proponents of a Charter High School to put their efforts into the place they belong and that is with the San Mateo Union High School District. We are holding the land open for you.
Mayor Cox can be reached via e-mail rcox@fostercity.org
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