Parcel tax needed now, not later, to save our schools

I'm disappointed that last week's T.O. Acorn editorial said to wait on a parcel tax to keep two Blue Ribbon schools in the Conejo Valley Unified School District from closing.

The $60 proposed parcel tax is only $5 per month. It's tax deductible for property owners who itemize on their tax returns.

The increased traffic on Moorpark, Lynn and Erbes roads from 600 children being transported out of their neighborhoods twice a day will potentially cost all residents of the city idling on these roads more than that in gasoline costs.

Las Virgenes Unified School District passed a $98 parcel tax. Why can't we pass a $60 parcel tax? Many families move into the Conejo Valley Unified School District because our schools are also great.

Yes, budgets are tight right now, but with the increased cost of gas, the parcel tax will actually save me money. If my neighborhood school stays open, I can continue to walk my daughter to school every day, help the environment, get needed exercise and help encourage more families to move into my neighborhood so their children can attend University Elementary, a great Blue Ribbon school.

Please don't let the word "tax" scare you away. Only $5 a month is a small price to pay for the greater good. Lori Walton Thousand Oaks