Posted by Donald, a resident of another community, on Mar 29, 2008 at 9:34 pm

So Larry Ellison gets a big tax break at the expense of the PV School District. I agree that his bad taste mans that his estate has "limited market appeal", but if he had any conscience he would make a $300,000 donation to the school district to compensate them for their loss of revenue. He seems to be jealous of Bill Gates, but Bill has been far more generous in his philanthropic giving than has Larry. There are many levels on which to compete, and being the richest person seems to me to be the most unworthy of them all.

Posted by Gwyn Firth Murray, a resident of the Menlo Park: The Willows neighborhood, on Mar 31, 2008 at 11:28 pm

Thoughts for Larry Ellison:

Particularly given this news, I hope that Larry Ellison will consider a generous donation to the Menlo Park – Atherton Education Foundation -- and/or other School Districts and related San Mateo County school foundations.

I have two children attending the Menlo Park schools. I struggle to pay the property taxes (much less the mortgage) on my suburban plot. I want to stay in the area largely because the public schools have done, and are doing, such a great job for my children.

Mr. Ellison's help and support of our local schools would be much appreciated. I look forward to reading about his gift(s) in the Almanac and other papers very soon!

I thank him in advance for his consideration and generosity.

Gwyn Firth Murray

Posted by Joseph Coolidge, a resident of the Menlo Park: Fair Oaks neighborhood, on Apr 1, 2008 at 3:08 pm

I for one beg to differ that Mr. Ellison owes anything at all to the school district. His property taxes were wrongly assessed based on what it cost to build a 16th century Japanese complex and not what this complex was worth. I don't know if he is getting his money back plus interest, but this money was wrongfully taken from him. I don't care if the tax dollars were used to feed handicapped orphans, it was wrong to take this money from him, so he fought it in court and won.

The one thing that I can not stand about any school district, and I have school aged kids, is like the fire department and the police department, when you tell them to cut their budget by 10%, the first thing the school department does is propose to cut the sports program or make some other ludicrous proposal to arouse simple minded parents.

The school district is supposed to cut administrative jobs at district headquarters, not teachers or sports programs. Of course, parents wouldn't take notice or care if jobs at the district headquarters were cut, hence the silly season, with districts making absurd proposals designed to anger parents, with no one calling the district on these proposals.

Our schools will be fine without Mr. Ellison's wrongly assessed taxes. I recommend they get the admin to teacher ratio reduced and we won't even notice the difference.

Posted by Donald, a resident of another community, on Apr 3, 2008 at 8:39 am

Joseph, neither of us said that he owes anything to the school district. I said he would make a donation if he had a conscience, but I know that is not the case.

Posted by miss cindirella, a resident of the Portola Valley: Central Portola Valley neighborhood, on Apr 23, 2008 at 7:11 pm

i think it is such a sad article written here, attempting to point your own community issues at Mr. Ellison this man simply because he is above average successful man.

In american we are suppose to have a dream. A dream that if we work hard and believe in ourself, try to do the right things and work very hard, we have the opportunity to reach any heights. Then those who do achive those heights, get pounded for doing so.

It is this mans right to build his dream home. If the community takes it's losses ONLY because he choose your commuinty, the it is a community issue who has put all its eggs in one basket, putting their short falls on him.

the fact is, YOU are better than you were. If he had not choosen your community, You would not have an additional 69.7 million in 2008 within your community. If he had NOT choosen your community to live in, this means that you would be short what you are PLUS what he has given.

And you dare put him in possition of feeling he needs to make a contribution for that downfall? Thats pretty bold for a community if you ask me. I hope you very appriciative that his kindness offered to help you out instead of feeling he owed it to you.

I just read this, and I was wondering how many in that community really thought it out. Someone like that is an assit bringing funds into the community. I only hope he is appriciated.

It must have been very frustrating for him to work so hard, build his dream home, have a community assessment Appeals Board reduced the property's assessment,like anyone else could do in that community; only instead of feeling I was fairly treated, been barked at because they happen to be higher end. I just strongly feel after reading this that the community there did not think how much LESS they would have in that town without him there at all.

People should appriciate others more. Its was a sad article for an outsider to read. It says alot about the real people in that community.

Posted by another editor, a resident of another community, on Mar 15, 2009 at 4:33 pm

Regarding the comment posted by "miss cindirella, a resident of the Portola Valley: Central Portola Valley neighborhood, on Apr 23, 2008 at 7:11 pm":

Proof positive that our schools need all of the money they can get to promote literacy.