No headline

Coeur d’Alene proposes $16,000,000 levy for 11,000 students. LPOSD proposes $17,000,000 for 3641 students. Why?

LPOSD has five school employees per 20 students. Cuts are needed. The state funds only essential educational programs — not non-educational ones.

It is easy to want non-educational programs when spending your neighbor’s money. It is bad management to Increase the levy when enrollment decreases.

Can a superintendent live on less than $174,000?

At Shawn Woodward’s Sagle meeting last year promoting his $55 million levy, he treated us like dirt. Residents asking architectural questions were denied speaking time.

He sarcastically said, “This is my meeting,” causing several people to walk out. He doesn’t instill trust or respect.

He surreptitiously tried to get $55 million by levy rather than by bond as required, which needs a super-majority to pass. This was an unethical, dirty trick.

He sets levy voting as a single ballot issue, so school employees and families can nearly carry the vote due to low voter turnout. He rubs our face in the $120,000 extra voting costs for two levy elections. This is an ongoing, unethical dirty trick.

We need a superintendent from Idaho who understands Idaho economics and has rapport with locals. Many taxpayers here make less than one-fifth what he is paid. Older citizens cannot afford non-educational programs.

Better cut administrative expenses and non-educational programs than threaten to close schools.

Vote no March 14. Demand a lower levy, to be voted at a future election.

ANDY HARRIS

Sagle