LEVY: Status quo is no go

I watch with interest as school district politicians this year go to their constituents and ask them to assume the burden of higher taxes. The pleas are done in millions, with percents and assumptions regarding home values factored down to a hypothetical taxpayer.

Well folks, property owners (voters) are not hypothetical. Like me, they have opened up their property tax statement and seen that they will pay more this year - for me that bill went up $176. I could tell you the percentage increase but people do not buy a loaf of bread or new shoes for their kids with "percents."

This recent increase impacts my family and we are blessed with not having a prolonged unemployment issue; we realize we are fortunate in comparison to many we know. Carrying the current increase into the future will be hard enough. You treat our current situation as trivial by adding other increases on the table to consider. The status quo is not fine and additional funds during this economy are unavailable from the average property owner.

Understand that even if you want more tax dollars and I might agree, I will vote "NO" because it is not prudent today. By putting several options on the table you may draw an unwanted backlash - if all proposals fail and you lose the current levy support, what then? By not keeping this simple, you put standard education in our district at risk.

SUZANNE METZGER, CPA

Hayden