From Steve Mayer

Monroe

To the Editor:

After reading the MSD referendum info mailer and listening to all their radio spots I wonder how much of our tax dollars are being spent to influence a “Yes” vote. Glad to hear they are finally acknowledging the declining enrollment. Ron Olson stated at a recent board meeting “All the easy cuts have been made”. Perhaps now some hard ones need to be made. Case in point, I am puzzled by the board’s decision to make all of the $900,000 cuts at Abe Lincoln Elementary? The same school that they were considering leveling several years ago, they decided to have single grade classes this year, they invested over $3 million for improvements over the summer and the same school that had an enrollment of 383 students in 2000, decreased to 132 last year. Districtwide enrollment has declined over 20% since 2000. The amount of referendums to seek additional tax dollars for schools is rapidly becoming out of control. At the same time the majority of school districts are seeing an enrollment decline. Perhaps school consolidations and closings should be considered. I believe the revenue caps were put in place to curb excessive tax increases in an effort to force districts to run more like private industry. We all need to live within our means. This seems to be quite a problem in today’s society. Some of the past decisions the school board has made I don’t believe have been in the best interest of the district. They have put out numerous questionable statements to voters in order to get their agendas approved. Beginning with the true tax impact to the citizens for approval to build the new high school. Then to state all athletics would need to be shuttered or moved to build a new school at the existing high school. If I remember correctly the high school referendum allowed the board to build a $88 million high school, now it appears that has grown to a $96.5 million one. They know asking for additional funds for construction on this, as their owners rep called “a challenging site”, would be a stretch and have made it their goal to stay on budget. Good for them, but what is the budget, 88 or 96.5 million? And oh, by the way, voting “No” on the $1.5 million referendum question will lower your current school tax burden in Monroe School District going forward.