Does Size Really Matter?

For San Mateo County taxpayers, it's a fair question to ask: Does size really matter when it comes to education bond measures? The County Community College District is seeking $564 million in new bonding capacity, on top of an existing $675 million. If Measure H is approved by at least 55 percent of the county electorate Nov. 8, the total would be in excess of $1.2 billion. With interest, the actual obligation would be in the neighborhood of $2 billion. Those figures are far and away the largest in county history for a public school district, regardless of the academic level. The district also recently passed a parcel tax, the only such levy for a two-year college entity in the state. Obviously, county taxpayers have been exceedingly generous. But will their fiscal goodwill continue this time around, especially when the grim economy persists? We will know very soon.