SCHOOLS: When smiles can be scary

Thursday morning started like most, get my coffee and open the Coeur d'Alene Press to see what's happening in our area. I flipped over the paper to the front page and immediately saw something that strikes terror to my heart! There was our superintendent of schools, Hazel Bauman smiling up at me! 

Now please don't get me wrong, it is a very nice picture of Ms. Bauman but it means that there is something newsworthy happening in our school district. Now the options are quickly running through my mind!

1. She has actually gotten the district budget under control and there is now a cash surplus! Naaa.

2. The Idaho schools are now ranked in the top 50 percent of the nations schools! Naaaa.

3. She is making a pitch for more money! Most likely!

Now by chance I had my Kootenai County tax statement handy. I could not help but notice that my SD No. 271 supp taxes had risen more than 100 percent to almost $600 due to last year's increase which was voted in! Isn't it amazing how the amount of $20 million to $40 million so easily rolls off her tongue. Heck it's no problem to pay more Hazel, my Social Security went up $11 per month this year! Keep up the good work!

BOB SILVA

Coeur d'Alene