I am responding to information that was sent out on the Mount Abe Renovation Project (air quality, tandem classrooms, access to the auditorium, pool, gym and library, etc.).
It is proposed that we would spend $32.6 million to add discretionary, nice-to-have, features for Mount Abe. Our property taxes are out of control and we still spend time and money figuring out how to spend more.
We should be focusing on reducing costs, not increasing them. We could reduce the number of excess administrators, teachers and aides. We could close down the expensive pool. There is no need to move the library for community access since we already pay for a quality town library. There are hundreds of ways to cut costs instead of increasing them.
This renovation project will cost each taxpayer approximately $400 more per year in property taxes (for a home assessed at $200,000). Are the added features for Mount Abe worth the added burden to taxpayers?
Let’s get control of our spending, please vote NO on the proposed Mount Abe bond. Let’s direct our school board to focus on finding ways to reduce costs, not increase them.
Jim Feldhousen
Bristol