[quote=carlsbadworker]. . . Look at how Carmel Valley’s housing market is holding up, then you know what is “Good Schools”. It’s not just 20 minutes drive. It’s parents willing to sink their retirement savings into a hole. That is “Good Schools” to me.[/quote]
carlsbadworker, I’m almost there (retirement). I do not think “sinking your retirement savings into a hole” is a good idea, at any age. Neither did my parents . . . or do my own kids. Nobody wants to have to “be taken care of” (or take care of) an able-bodied “near destitute” 62-year old that can’t get a job due to age discrimination.
I thought I made a few good investments in my life and did everything right. I even have a coveted “defined-benefit” plan. A 40-50 year working-life is a long time. Sh*t can happen during that time in both the worker’s personal and professional life. Sometimes you have control over it and sometimes you don’t.
At the end of the day, your kids will remember they went to homecoming and prom and recieved a HS diploma in accordance with CA Standards and were (hopefully) accepted into the college of their choice which they were able to graduate from. They won’t remember that you lost >50% of (the $$ that would have gone to) your retirement savings in your peak earning years to MR, HOA dues, street bonds, water line bonds and/or a ridiculous mortgage because you felt you had to pay $600K for a property *worth* $350K in order to live within certain “school boundaries.”
It’s up to you, as the adult/parent to provide for yourself in your later years (so your kids won’t have to) and do everything in your power as early as possible to ensure your kids become independent.
I just read a piece on how the OASDI Fund (“SS”) will become insolvent in 2037 (and maybe earlier, if steps aren’t taken). I don’t know if I’ll still be alive then or not. If I was ten years younger, I’d be VERY worried about whether I’d even see a dime of my own contributions to the “system.” If I was still in my “peak earning years” I would socking as much as the law allows into tax-free retirement vehicles at the expense of everything else. The public school system exists to serve kids K-12 (“free of charge”) and graduate them according to state standards and A-G requirements for college entrance. The teachers in the Merced Union HS Dist., the South San Francisco Unified SD, the Death Valley Unified SD, the Mt. Shasta Union SD and the San Dieguito Union HS Dist must all adhere to the SAME CURRICULUM – they have NO CHOICE in the matter.
No other public school payments are required unless you own property and the citizens in your jurisdiction vote school construction bonds in. Any payments voluntarily made to other entities after that just to attend public school are NOT required as Prop. 13 provides for most of the 1% base tax to go to the local school districts, anyway.
