The following was from the City of Los Alamitos’ August 1963 newsletter to its residents.
Why Industry?
Recently, the City has taken issue with the Anaheim Union High School District and the Los Alamitos Elementary School District on the location of school sites within industrially zoned land.
The question is often asked , why are cities so concerned with the preservation of industrially zoned land? The question can best be answered through illustration. The assessed valuation of the Arrowhead Products plant equals 170 average single family dwellings, generates no children, requires very little services and provides general economic impetus to the entire community. Residential areas do not pay their own way, tax-wise; it is industry and business which support any taxing agwency and subsidize residential areas.
The School Districts have begun condemnation proceedings on three sites totaling 40.3 acres. In addition to being industrially zoned, this land also has railroad frontage, a prime requisite for location of industry. [note: this would apparently make the land the Pine/McAulife, the LAE, and the Adams site (now where the Mormon Church is located off Cerritos). A conservative estimate of the of the potential industrial value lost is $1,500,000 or approximately $75,000 per year in revenue to the School Districts. In addition, the sites in question are in the center of the industrial property. Industries have a natural aversion to location near a school. Thus, instead of 40.3 acres lost, we are losinbg between 80 and 100 acres and increasing the lost tax base proportionally.
Because industry will not locatenear schools a surrounding land must be opened to residential development, putting a greater burden on the schools as well as the City and creatingthe need for more schools and services, thus competing the cycle.
An analysis of this situation points up certain facts, both School Districts being dependent on State Aid, are required to meet certain standards as set forth by the State. One of these standards is the utilization of 1.00 elementary age children per dwelling unit in projecting a future need. In fact, this district only generates .59 figure against ultimate residential development, and additional elementary site is questioned.
The state also requires minimum acreage plus an additional acre for each 100 students. In land short areas, and where state forbids school construction, because of aircraft landing and take off patterns it apears that this standard is unrealistic.
When next contemplating high taxes, think of the various school sites and try to determine whether or not these areas are being used to their ultimate; then ask yourself, why doesn’t the area have more industry to ease the tax load? The chances are that the answers to these two questions will give a partial answer to high taxes.