Why doesn't no mean no for school district?

I have been taught that when someone says no, that is the end of it. You don’t keep trying to proceed but, the West Bonner County School District doesn’t believe in that philosophy. They try to browbeat you over and over until you give in. They love trying to push things down your throat, and the levy is case in point. Several months ago they initiated an election on a levy for schools similar, if not the same as the levy they are pushing for this month. A short while ago the people of the WBCSD voted no on the school levy. For some reason the message did not get across to the school board. Even though the people have voted no, the school board continues to try and push the raising of taxes and this levy on the people of the district. No, no, no on the levy.

Point two: Many of the residents in the WBCSD are on a fixed income or receive very low income. These levies create an increase on our property tax bills. Many people are barely scraping by as it is. The school board lies to us saying that our taxes will be less if the levy is approved. This is a downright lie. It is true that the tax bill may be lower but it is not because of the levy. It is because the overall taxes have been reduced in other areas. Voting no on the levy will give everyone a lower tax rate.

Those of you who are so adamantly in favor of raising our taxes should just make a monthly donation to the school district on your own. Leave those of us on fixed or low incomes alone. Where do you expect us to get additional monies than what we are locked into. Start your personal donations today and let’s see how important the schools are to you.

Point three: There is no need for the levy as the state of Idaho has just passed a bill ensuring an increase in teachers salaries K-12. They even increased monies for the library programs and have increased $3 million for the Advanced Opportunities program. This is just a few of the programs that will receive a benefit from the state increase of funding to the schools.

Point four: I have been a public school teacher and administrator for 40 years and looking at the district’s budget, it is a disaster. A great deal of money could be saved within the district with its present funding by simply doing a major reorganization. There would be no need for any levy to be passed. Even so, without the levy the school district is doing very well financially.

In conclusion: People, don’t get caught up with the rhetoric that our children will be or are suffering. This is another falsehood that the district would like you to believe that is not true. Be sensible; don’t accept the same old rhetoric that the school board would like you to accept. Once again, vote no, no, no on the levy.

GEORGE TAYLORSON

Priest River