$160 cake first, now a new tax?

"The same school district where a former superintendent charged a $160 birthday cake to taxpayers is now considering a tax increase. The Las Lomitas Elementary School District, which serves parts of Menlo Park and Atherton, has reduced a $4.5 million deficit to $2 million, and now the board is considering whether to go to voters with a parcel tax. The tax is one of the options the board will consider on Jan. 14. Superintendent Erik Burmeister will ask the board whether they want to bring in a consultant on a potential parcel tax. The tax would appear on the November ballot."

"An audit by the San Mateo County Office of Education found that the $160 birthday cake Polito charged to a district credit card in 2022 was one example of a potentially inappropriate gift of public funds. She also charged $4,039 to the district credit card for retirement parties and $325 for gift cards, according to the audit. The auditors found insufficient evidence to indicate fraud, misappropriation of funds or other illegal practices occurred. But the audit said the district's record-keeping for credit card purchases is lacking, making it more likely that fraud could occur."

Las Lomitas Elementary School District reduced a $4.5 million deficit to $2 million and is weighing a parcel tax to appear on the November ballot. The board will consider the parcel tax and whether to hire a consultant at its Jan. 14 meeting. Cost-saving options include eliminating positions and classes, leasing property, sharing a campus, and changing bell schedules to permit part-time staffing. An assistant principal position has been eliminated and some classes have low enrollment. An audit flagged inappropriate credit-card charges by former superintendent Beth Polito and criticized weak credit-card record-keeping.

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