Recently, a student wrote in to express his disappointment in the community for not passing the recent tax referendum for expansion and repairs to the high school.
He believes we have “ignored the future” and the world will pass us by.
He has the same myopia as many of our public officials, and so to Joey I reply:
In the last four years this community has taken on millions of debt (and paid taxes and contributions of more millions) for a new middle school (District 52), an expanded school (District 51) and a community center (theater and pool for high school’s use, new library).
We now find ourselves in the midst of the greatest worldwide recession since the great depression with no end in sight and Caterpillar laying off thousands in the Peoria area.
Meanwhile, our federal government is running a $1.7 trillion deficit (and projects $4 trillion more in deficits for the next four years), and our state has a $4 billion per year deficit (and tens of billions in unfunded liabilities) and wants to raise our income taxes by 50 percent or more.
In these circumstances, is it those who questioned whether the timing and size of a new $18 million obligation (which included three of your school board members) who are shortsighted?
There is no Santa Claus who will bail Washington out if all this new debt and taxes were too much to bear.
When you have the responsibility of providing for a family and meeting payroll, you may see the situation in a different light.
Brian Heller
Washington
