Article fails to include ‘gotcha’ Prop 19
Your article, “How Families Can Protect Generational Wealth” (Feb. 7), failed to mention the California “gotcha” related to inheriting real estate. It did not convey an accurate picture of the serious dilemma forced upon owners (and their heirs) of inherited real estate in California.
Unbeknownst to those who did not fully review Prop 19 (but still voted for it), many were shocked to subsequently discover that it imposed a devastating impact on the transfer of inherited real estate.
It did away with the ability to retain the current tax basis on all inherited real estate and forced an automatic property tax reassessment at the current market value.
How many heirs can afford to pay the huge taxes on (and thereby retain) inherited family real estate at current reassessed, rates? Probably not many, considering the high market value of most real estate in our area.
Efforts are underway to rescind this “theft of wealth” aspect of Prop 19. Until more state residents react to how they and their heirs will be adversely affected, we will have to continue to stomach this unfair tax grab.
This “gotcha” needs to play center stage in estate planning involving any inherited real estate.
Fran Kolich
Los Altos
Consider big picture regarding 10th site
A follow-up comment after the Feb. 5 Los Altos School District Board of Trustees discussion regarding the use of the 10th site:
Please pause and consider the bigger picture before you tell the school board and district that it is your family’s right that your children only attend public schools in your immediate neighborhood. Every parent would prefer this.
The school board and district need to consider the safety of all the children. It isn’t possible that no children cross El Camino, or other major roads, to reach school.
Can we agree that the challenge of getting to school should be shared as equally as possible across the district? Can we agree that our Los Altos School District students who live in Mountain View have equal rights to safe transit to school?
Los Altos School District leaders say their core values include neighborhood schools. Surely, they intend for this to apply to all students.
Pat Brodkey
Los Altos
Move BCS to 10th site
Regarding the options available, my input would be that Bullis Charter School (BCS) be moved to the 10th site.
The new site could be developed to accommodate the growth that BCS has experienced and allow options for future growth, all on the same campus. Many of these students are not immediate neighbors, so they are already being driven and dropped off.
It would make more practical and safety sense for students already riding in cars to be dropped off at the 10th site than to have neighborhood students on foot and bikes crossing El Camino and San Antonio Road at great personal risk.
Rebecca Hayman
Los Altos
