Visioning and Priorities

By Herb John Perez

Choosing what Matters

Support the availability of quality education to everyone living in Foster City.

Foster City as a community continues to struggle with the repercussions of success. Our city is one of the most sought after zip codes for young professionals with young families. We are ideally located in the transportation corridor that connects San Francisco, East Bay and Silicon Valley. Families choose Foster City for the quality of life it affords in terms of housing quality, public safety, civic infrastructure and quality education. For the past 40 years our city has been on an upward trend but for factors beyond our immediate control we are challenged with insufferable traffic congestion and over crowded schools. The fundamental question is what obligation does the city have to correct or ameliorate this situation and to what degree can we assist the historical fledgling school districts attempts. I believe it is time for the city's leadership to reinvest in our community and our schools to the betterment of the public good as a whole.

Over the past 40 years the city's founders and various councils have attempted to provide adequate space and real estate for the school district to use for buildings. These efforts were temporal and steeped in historical perspective of times past. Based upon need or an over abundance of inventory the city and school district were left with three elementary school sites and one middle school. I choose not to opine on the wisdom of these decisions but merely offer it as way of background. There have been historical attempts to provide adequate real estate for schools based upon the actual or perceived need for the same. There is no doubt that once again times have changed and based upon the school district's own calculations there is a need for more classrooms or buildings. The deteriorating brick and mortar of at least three schools here further exacerbate this situation in Foster City.

Our city has a history of investing and providing opportunity for segments of our population when we feel it benefits the public good. Most recently the city sold the remaining fifteen acres of land to a developer in order to provide state of the art housing and assisted care facilities for our senior population. Foster Square will provide outstanding facilities for our residents 55 years and older. This investment will pay dividends in the quality of life we can offer this population.

In years past the city invested in the PJCC and its vision to place a state of the art community center that would enhance the quality of life for our families and community. The council leased that land at a break even with no profit margin whatsoever. During my first year on the council we were able to sell that land to the PJCC and allow them to continue to provide their services while gaining control of their ultimate financial future. The city invested in their vision and the quality of life it provided for many families on the Peninsula.

Finally at the intersection of Third Avenue the city continues to invest in leasehold for a golf course. The city leases 26 acres of land to the concessionaire so that this leisure amenity will be available to our community. Once again we do this at a discounted rate because we believe it enhances the quality of life for our residents.

These days I am asked the following question: at what point will the city finally invest in its families and its school age children? My response is simple and direct. The time is now. There is no difference between our investments in the segments of population mentioned above and our children. In fact our children and their education should be of paramount importance and come second to none. What greater legacy do we leave than that of education? What greater disservice do we do when we turn a blind eye or refuse to take action to accommodate this fundamental need?

Prior to being on the council I had heard the various arguments regarding the difference between the school district and the city. Each waiting for the other to do their part and each accepting no fault for the outcome. That was unacceptable and should be now.

Larger and smaller cities have created financial solutions to solve their over crowding. San Francisco invests in its schools in the millions of dollars every year. We too must do our part to help the school district create additional facilities to the betterment of our children.

The city should do an analysis of its existing real estate or other land that could be purchased and leased to the school district to be used for a school site. This solution would allow the school district to raise funds to build the building while the city would assume the cost of property purchase. This would also allow the city to maintain ownership of the school site and have a real property investment that could be reclaimed should the school district no need the site.

Our city maintains its property tax roles based upon the inherent or perceived value of the quality of life herein. Our residents are bright talented and upwardly mobile and choose where they want to live based upon the quality of education it affords its children. Last week a young family came into my business and shared the story of my student and their daughter's success with me. She had attended Brewer Island, Bowditch, and San Mateo High School. She received early admissions to Stanford University. This is a Foster City success story: a member of our community, national caliber martial artist, member of Foster City's YAC committee and outstanding student. I want this to continue to be the norm and not the exception. In the words of someone brighter than I, "It takes a village." It is time for us to do our part and to partner with the school district and share the burden for our children.