LEVY: Decrying yellow journalism

Call it what it is: The "Citizens for Responsible Taxation" advertisement in the March 3 Coeur d'Alene Press is the correct color - YELLOW. It is full of misleading garbage. Most of these red-herring questions were answered accurately and respectfully at the many recent community forums, (including the very night before this ad was run - I was there and listened) yet these few, loud, radical anti-public schools fanatics continue to spew the same misinformation and garbage. ENOUGH!

Fact: Idaho is 50th (the lowest) in the U.S. in state funding for education ($ per pupil). Fact: Coeur d'Alene's tax rate has been one of the lowest in Idaho for years (93 Idaho Districts tax at significantly higher rates than Coeur d'Alene - the state average is more than TWICE the local rate). Fact: Coeur d'Alene School District Student Test Scores are way above the state and national averages. Still, these anti public schools radicals want you to vote no? Give me a BREAK! It is our "responsible citizen" duty to support our public schools. Are you a good conservative? Great, so am I. Responsible conservatives have striven for LOCAL control for decades. The Federal Govt. doesn't need to manage our schools. The State Govt. doesn't need to manage our schools (though they're trying). Our LOCAL school district has listened to local citizens and responded with the best education available (look at the test scores) at the lowest price possible (look at the real data).

The only reason you're being asked to vote on a local school maintenance and operations levy is because the Idaho State Legislature has severely CUT state funding three years in a row now, and passed it back to you locally. It is a shell game and a broken promise from them to fund schools at the state level.

If this levy does not pass, these few, loud, radical anti-public school fanatics will be celebrating and patting themselves on the backs while the community's children suffer the unimaginable loss of a tried and proven quality local education. Sustainability? Public education is not sustainable without public support and public funding. It is called democracy! Citizenship carries some responsibilities. The radicals who ran this ad (with whose financing?) are shameful, un-named cowards. A true "Citizen for Responsible Taxation" would support our local children and the local schools which educate them (especially in a fiscally responsible way) and thus VOTE YES for the levy on March 8. Unlike the un-named cowards of that radical group, I will identify myself with my personal signature to my comments.

DAVID HUNT

Coeur d'Alene