Guest Opinion: Measure J isn't really about Cubberley. Vote no.

Measure J is misleading. It is not about improving the Cubberley site, as many residents assume, nor is it about authorizing the city to spend $65.5 million to purchase 7 acres from the school district. Rather, Measure J only asks voters to approve a half-cent sales tax increase in Palo Alto, from 9.75% to 10.25%, that will generate $15.6 million each year for years to come – there is no sunset clause. And by law, this tax money must go directly into the city’s general fund; once it’s there, our council and future council members can use money in this fund for anything they desire. And that is the critical problem with Measure J — there is no guarantee that future councils will spend the $15.6 million that the measure will generate every year on Cubberley. In fact, there is a slim chance that five or 10 years from now that money could be spent on new problems, like flooding or shore erosion. City officials acknowledged this.

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