SCHOOLS: Itemize or perish

I recently attended a presentation on the proposed levy and bond for the Coeur d’Alene School District. I left that presentation with more concerns than comfort.

First, the superintendent and the district financial adviser refuse to assign dollar amounts to what they propose in the levy. They claim to put all money in the pot and divvy it out from there. I think this is irresponsible and scary. By doing it this way, they can always claim they never promised anything. The items listed are merely projects that “may” be funded.

The bond is ridiculous. They want to redo athletic facilities at Lake City and Coeur d’Alene while other schools struggle with portables and parking? CHS was redone in early 2000. The district has promised Lakes Middle School would be updated since the late ’80s when I attended there. Still hasn’t happened.

The Yes Campaign that is pushing for a Yes Vote claims the money is going to education. THE BOND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH EDUCATION. It is only about building space. (And how does gym space improve education?)

And who knows what the levy will actually go to.

Unless the district itemizes and assigns a dollar value to the items they want in the levy, I will vote NO.

I also encourage everyone else to vote NO on the bond. Let’s finance education and not athletics.

MAX JOHNSON

Hayden