Letter to the editor

To the editor:

Regarding the upcoming vote on the school tax increase, I am in favor of a new building but would like to see the project pared back quite a bit in these tough economic times. If it was pared back by eliminating some of the non-essential components of the project, Wellington could still get the great use of the state's grant money yet have a plan that is affordable to all residents including those seniors on fixed budgets and others that are facing these tough economic times.

I would encourage everybody to vote regardless of which side of the school tax issue they stand. This is an important issue for the entire community. Despite what the state is going to give us as grant money and despite the good intentions and the very real need for a new school or schools, the fact remains everybody has to live within a budget. For example, let's assume a realtor comes to your front door and says, "You have a chance-of-a-lifetime opportunity" and all you have to do is pay $540,000 and you will get this wonderful home valued at over $1 million. What's the catch? Well there is none, except you have to buy it today because the sale goes away tomorrow. Well the fact is that you might not be able to afford the $540,000 even with the reward of getting a great deal. The state's portion is $19.2 million, but that amount would not change if we took away some of the extra add-ons and the district could go to the voters for less of a tax increase and yet still get full use of the state grant and Wellington could still get the new school it needs.

The examples stated that our kids would get a better education is most likely a valid point, but stating that students who went to school in years past in our current buildings got an inferior education just because they didn't have an Astroturf football field or air conditioning is a little stretch. Our teachers are the best and our students are the best. This superintendent is one of the best we have had in decades and our kids' educators do deserve better facilities then we have now. But, we should consider this project after it is pared down a bit. A few more examples of why we should ask some more questions before voting yes to this large of a tax increase. In the facility committee's own brochure, they state the savings of going from three buildings to one yet in the next paragraph, they state they are going to keep Westwood. If my math is correct, that is going from three buildings down to two, and Westwood would still need to be maintained and kept up. The final issue is that there are many residents who are struggling to meet their daily expenses and monthly bills. In and of itself, this is a very worthwhile project that will indeed benefit us as a whole, however, it only takes three more foreclosures to affect property values more than any potential increase due to a better school building. People who can't pay their taxes end up in foreclosure and when foreclosures hit your neighborhood, they will affect your property value negatively more than any increase due to a beautiful new school building.

Jeff Hyde

Wellington