Supporting Dr. Dana Eaton

    As a former principal and superintendent in the Moraga School District for 25 years, I have seen firsthand the leadership our schools need to serve our Lamorinda communities well. I strongly support Dr. Dana Eaton as the next Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools.

    Dr. Eaton brings 17 years of superintendent experience and nearly three decades in education, grounded in a clear focus on student success, early literacy, school safety, and student well-being. He has also been recognized as a two-time Superintendent of the Year for Alameda and Contra Costa counties, an honor reflecting both results and the respect of his peers.

    Importantly, Dana’s experience aligns directly with the county office’s responsibilities. He serves on the State Governing Board of FCMAT and on the Superintendent Advisory Panel for CCEE, bringing rare expertise in both fiscal accountability and academic improvement, areas critical to supporting all districts, including those in Lamorinda.

    Our communities deserve a county superintendent who understands both strong schools and responsible stewardship. Dr. Dana Eaton is that leader.

Bruce K. Burns
Former Moraga School District Superintendent

Vote Yes on Measure H: Our Schools Need Us

    Hello, Lafayette. I'm asking you — from the bottom of my heart — to vote Yes on Measure H on June 2. Our schools are the foundation of this community. Burton Valley, Happy Valley, Lafayette Elementary, Springhill, Stanley — they're the reason families move here. They're a big part of why Lafayette is Lafayette. But that foundation is cracking.

    California's funding formula shortchanges our district. Despite being in one of the most expensive regions in the country, Lafayette receives among the lowest per-pupil funding in the state. Over the past three years, our schools have absorbed millions in cuts. Teacher salaries have fallen behind neighboring districts, making it harder to keep the exceptional educators our kids deserve.

    Measure L, the parcel tax that helps close that gap, expires next year. Without a replacement, we lose roughly $3 million annually — money that funds teachers, manageable class sizes, science, music, and the arts.

    Measure H is the replacement. Every dollar stays local. None goes to administrator salaries. It includes a senior exemption, citizen oversight, and mandatory audits. It sunsets after nine years and cannot be extended without your vote.

    During my time as Mayor, I saw firsthand how our schools drive everything we value about this town — our property values, our sense of community, our identity. Protecting them isn't optional. It's the most important investment we make. The state won't fix this for us. It's up to us to ensure our kids, our teachers, and our school staff have what they need to succeed. Lafayette voters passed Measure L in 2020 with 73% support. The need is even greater now.

    We can do this. Please pledge your support for Measure H.

Cam Burks
Former Mayor of Lafayette

PTA & Parent Organization Presidents for Measure H

    As the PTA and Parent Organization Presidents of Lafayette's four elementary schools – Burton Valley, Happy Valley, Lafayette Elementary and Springhill – we are writing with one united message: vote yes on Measure H.

    Our schools are exceptional. Lafayette students consistently rank among the best in California, and our teachers are among the most dedicated anywhere. But that excellence depends on local funding that the state simply does not provide. California's school funding formula ranks Lafayette among the lowest-funded districts in the state. We have always made up that gap ourselves — and Measure H is how we continue to do that.

    The current parcel tax expires in 2027. Without Measure H to replace it, we are looking at larger class sizes, teacher layoffs, and the elimination of the academic and enrichment programs that define a Lafayette education. The district has already had to cut $2 million in spending each year for the past three years, and this year's cuts eliminated teachers and staff that our students know, love and interact with weekly.

    Measure H will help retain high-quality teachers, keep class sizes small, and preserve core programs in academics, arts, and sciences. We don't always agree on everything as a community. But we agree on this: our schools are worth protecting. Please vote yes on Measure H in June.

Ria Di Costanzo, President Lafayette Elementary PTA
Kristen Winterbotham, President 
Burton Valley Elementary PTA
Irene Lee and Lulu Sun, Co-Presidents Springhill Parent Faculty Club
Jesse Abhyankar, President Happy 
Valley Parents Club

No on Lafayette’s Measure H  

    As mothers, we want our kids to have great schools. As homeowners, we want to retain our home values. And as citizens, we are very concerned about the lack of affordability in California. We see Measure H as yet another of the many tax increases we see on ballots this year (now and in November) that comes without any accountability.

    Despite organizers’ claims, the school district has not demonstrated fiscal responsibility. When teachers negotiated a 13% raise in 2023-2024, the district also slipped in increases for top administrators and recently-hired employees, including our superintendent who had only been on the job for about 18 months. This resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars that the district knew it wouldn’t have. Nevertheless, the board, including former school board members who are now cheerleading this effort, approved this. No accountability.

    In addition, the Lafayette School District’s own 2024-2025 budget shows that it has spent 40% more since 2020 despite a total school enrollment that has never recovered since school shutdowns. There has been an increase of $10 million in salaries and a $4.5 million increase in services and other operating expenses. And the worst part … since 2023, they have been spending more than a half a million dollars LESS on books and supplies!

    Measure H is not just a continuation of our last “temporary” tax. It is an increase of 78% and comes a year before the previous tax ends. It also includes a 3% automatic annual increase despite inflation. This means even more taxes contributing to California’s unaffordability. For many it’s “what’s another $250?” But not everyone in Lafayette is wealthy. Increased costs also get trickled down to renters and small business customers, many who can’t claim the senior exemption.

    Yes, the state’s funding model is broken. But the same people using it as a reason for this tax are ones who continue supporting those in Sacramento that keep the system going. Again, no accountability. No on H.

Lauren Herpich - Lafayette mother and former Lafayette City Council candidate
Sarah Lind - Lafayette mother and former Lafayette School Board candidate
Stacy Schirmer - Lafayette mother, and 26-year resident and homeowner

The Fiscal Case for Supporting Measure H

    As a tax attorney who has spent decades advising clients on all matters related to California state and local taxes, and as a parent of two children currently in the Lafayette School District, I evaluate Measure H with a clear eye toward both fiscal responsibility and real-world impact.

    The central issue is straightforward: Lafayette schools face a structural funding gap driven by California’s education finance system. This is not the result of overspending. The district has already implemented more than $5 million in budget reductions and efficiencies. The shortfall is on the revenue side.

    Measure H replaces an existing parcel tax that is set to expire, providing a stable, locally controlled source of funding to maintain the quality of our schools. From a financial standpoint, stability matters. Schools cannot plan, retain teachers, or sustain core academic programs on uncertain or fluctuating revenue.

    No parcel tax is perfect. By design, parcel taxes are not based on income, which raises valid questions about equity. But they offer two critical advantages: predictability and local control. In a state where school funding is largely determined at the state level, parcel taxes are one of the few tools communities have to directly invest in their schools.

    Measure H also includes important fiscal safeguards. Funds are restricted, independently audited, and cannot be used for administrative salaries. They remain local and subject to community oversight. Furthermore, the existing senior exemption is preserved with Measure H. 

    The financial implications extend beyond the school district. Strong public schools are one of the most consistent drivers of property values and community stability. In Lafayette, they are a central reason families choose to live here. Allowing the quality of those schools to erode would have long-term economic consequences for the entire community.

    As a parent, I see what is at stake in the classroom. As a tax attorney, I see the importance of making prudent, forward-looking financial decisions. Measure H is not about expansion. It is about maintaining what works with a stable, transparent funding source. It is a sound financial decision, and I urge Lafayette voters to support it.

Shail Shah
Lafayette
  
This is Not a Close Call: Why We Must Vote Yes on Measure H 

    I have lived in Lafayette for 29 years and currently serve on the City Council, twice as Mayor, and spent years working on the issues that shape this community: emergency preparedness, traffic, support for local businesses, and above all, the relationship between our city and our schools. I know this community well. And I'm here to tell you: vote yes on Measure H. 

    Strong schools and a strong city are not separate goals. They are the same goal. On the City Council, one of our core strategic objectives was deepening collaboration between the City of Lafayette and our school district — because we understand that what happens in our classrooms shapes everything else. Our property values, our civic culture, and our ability to attract and retain the families and businesses that make Lafayette thrive - all of it flows from the quality of our schools. 

    Measure H will help us retain high-quality teachers, maintain small class sizes, and protect the academic programs that define a Lafayette education. Every dollar stays local. There are no funds for administrator salaries, mandatory audits are required, and a citizens' oversight committee ensures accountability. Seniors can apply for an exemption. 

    As someone who sits at the intersection of city and school governance, I can tell you that local funding measures like this one are exactly how communities like ours take responsibility for what matters most. The state won't do it for us — California's funding formula ranks Lafayette among the lowest-funded districts in the state. We have always stepped up to fill that gap, and Measure H asks us to do so again. 

    This is not a close call. Our schools are worth protecting. Please vote yes on Measure H. 

Susan Candell
City Councilmember and twice Mayor of Lafayette

A teacher for Measure H

    I have spent my career teaching in Lafayette, and I can tell you without hesitation: this community's commitment to its schools is something special. Parents show up. Kids are engaged. And for most of my career, I have had the resources I need to do my job well.

    Measure H will continue to make that possible ... and without it, things change fast.

    Teaching is not just a job for me. It's a calling. But callings don't pay mortgages. Lafayette teachers are already competing against neighboring districts that can offer higher salaries, and every year we lose talented colleagues who simply can't afford to stay. Measure H helps keep competitive salaries in reach and protects against the kind of layoffs that gut a school's culture and continuity.

    Beyond salaries, I've watched what happens when funding gets cut. Class sizes creep up. Vital programs get cut. These aren’t luxuries; they’re what spark student engagement and create meaningful, effective learning experiences. 

    Lafayette's students deserve better than a slow erosion of the programs that set this district apart. And Lafayette's families deserve to know that the teachers they trust with their children are being supported, not squeezed out.

    Measure H replaces the expiring parcel tax and includes strict accountability: no funds for administrator salaries, mandatory audits, and citizen oversight. It's responsible, targeted, and essential.

    I'm asking you to vote yes on Measure H. Not just for teachers like me, but for every student who walks through our doors expecting the best. Let's make sure we can still deliver it.

Eileen Leach
Burton Valley Teacher of the Year

Measure H and LPIE funds

    Every year, Lafayette parents, neighbors, and local businesses come together to support our schools through both the parcel tax and LPIE (Lafayette Partners in Education). Together, these two sources of local funding make possible the level of education our community expects.

    This year, LPIE has committed $4.65 million to Lafayette schools, funding teachers, academic support, wellness services, and expanded course offerings across all six campuses.

    We are proud of what this community makes possible. But it’s important to be clear: neither LPIE nor the parcel tax can do this alone.

    In practice, both fund the core of our schools. The parcel tax supports smaller class sizes and helps retain excellent teachers. LPIE funds additional teachers, academic support, and programs that are part of the school day. Together, they ensure students have access to a strong academic foundation and a well-rounded experience. Take away either piece, and the system doesn’t work as it does today.

    I’ve seen what this community can accomplish when we invest together. Please protect that investment and support our schools. Vote yes on Measure H.

Jaia Kaufman
President, Lafayette Partners in 
Education (LPIE)

Close the funding gap with Yes on Measure H

    We have called Lafayette home for nearly 50 years. In that time, Don spent 33 years in city government focused on long-term investments, and Ellen spent years volunteering for the Lafayette Library. We have watched this community grow - and we know what makes it work.

    Strong schools don't just benefit families with children. They shape a city's character, drive property values, and attract the residents and businesses that sustain a healthy local economy. They are as essential as roads and parks - and far more underfunded by the state than most people realize.

    California's funding formula ranks Lafayette among the lowest-funded districts in the state. We have always closed that gap locally. Measure H replaces an expiring parcel tax and adds to it to accommodate inflation and district needs, to ensure that we are able to maintain the high quality education our students deserve.

Please vote yes on Measure H. 

Don Tatzin and Ellen Reintjes
Lafayette