Financial Stewardship with Strong Fiscal Oversight
About 70% of Atherton’s annual budget comes from property taxes residents pay. Now, that may seem like a very big number because we all pay a lot in property taxes… but for every $1.00 in property taxes that you pay, Atherton only receives about 9 cents of it! Which, in some instances, means that other entities such as schools and the Menlo Park Fire District receive more than the Town of Atherton does. These percentage distributions were set in place years ago in 1978 with the passage of Prop 13 and cannot be undone without a legislative action.
Council Members must be prudent in managing these limited resources. We currently have a balanced budget, and I supported the short-term financing to complete our new Town Center to preserve funding for our Town’s necessary operating expenses.