Reader opposes school millage for various reasons.

Letter to the Editor: Reader opposes school millage for various reasons.

Letters to the editor are opinion editorials submitted by readers. Letters to the editor are a long tradition in American journalism. The views and opinions of the writer do not necessarily reflect those of Mason County Press, its staff or its parent company. For more information, please refer to MCP’s Op/Ed policy.

Dear Editor:

My take on the proposed millage increase on May 7.

– 101 million is huge for our small area.  Student population is decreasing since its high in the ‘60s and ‘70s.  My class ’67 we had added enrollment due to St Simons closing in ’66. There was also high enrollment due to the building of hydroelectric plant and completion in 1972.  Ludington’s population is also shrinking. So not a student population issue in 2019.

-The brochure states that the “state” has deemed a facility as outlived its usefulness after 40 years.  Who made that statement some bureaucrat I suppose. With that kind of thinking my house was built in 1904 as many others in the area has outlived its usefulness.  By that kind of reasoning my house should be “property tax free”.

-Maintenance – the brochure shows dark pictures that make you think the worse, a good horror image, the schools are unsafe.  No, they are not, it’s designed to grab your ‘emotions”. That looks like a lack of administration and can be rectified by proper maintenance.  If my roof leaks, I fix it. I don’t throw up my hands and say “that’s it, better get a new house”. There is money to fix this in a school operating budget.

-Money to pay for a new K-5 school – Seems like a ton of money was spent over the years on Foster School.  With all the other K-5 schools you will be taking the community schools away from their home areas.

-Security – yes times have changed.  The moral fabric has decayed, where once you had strong family units.  Progressive, socialistic thinking has brought this about. We live in an open society, sounds like the security will resemble that of a high security prison.  Take down the signs that say this is a Weapons Free Zone and replace them with a sign that says any perceived harm to the school children will be met with “Deadly Force”.  The sick cowardly person’s intent on doing evil sees these signs as an open invitation to cause havoc.

-The property assessments have gone up, look at your increases, more money for the schools.

-You may not like this term but we are all slaves to the taxes.  Almost all taxes are regressive to you trying to make ends meet. Property taxes are the worst.  What happens to your property taxes if you want to improve it, “right”, they go up. Takes a little of the incentive away.  Imagine not paying your state, federal and property taxes. What will happen? It will not take long and I am sure you will not like the outcome.

-Bricks and mortar do not make a good school.  When I got home from Vietnam I enrolled at WSCC.  At that time it had an administrative building with “portables”.  Best education I ever had, all credits transferred to MSU where I earned a bachelor of science degree.  West Shore Community College costs was $8 a credit hour and MSU was $16. Why has the cost gone up so much, more that inflation?  You may want to check out why this is the case?

The date of the bond proposal is “genius” on the proponents for the millage May 7 and not in June.

1. Some retires will not be home until Michigan’s up and down weather is done.  Even with the absentee ballots some votes will not get in.
2. The students are still in school, “huge” They will be coming home and putting pressure on parents to vote yes.  A huge guilt issue by students who have not paid much in the line of taxes.

Also everybody 18 and over who does not own property has the right to vote.  Yes, if they rent, some of the increase can be tacked onto their rent but not all as it works on supply and demand and what the market will bear.  Remember nothing is free, someone is paying the price.

The schools in America should be made to teach honestly about why this country is so “great”.  True American history, the Constitution, the Gettysburg Address, and the electoral college. Why we are a constitutional republic.  The good of capitalism and personal responsibilities verses the facts of the millions who have died under failures of socialism and communism.  Ever wonder why people want to come here and not socialist Venezuela?

Good education starts at home, encourage and nurture the young people to achieve in positive ways.  Do not add to your financial stress, we are over taxed on all levels, we are now even paying the way for illegals that have not paid into the system.   Don’t be fooled and emotional, Ludington Schools with the higher tax valuations, will still be great without this huge millage request.

Vote no on May 7.  Make sure you vote, and don’t think your vote wouldn’t count.

Stan Peterson

Pere Marquette Township

Ludington School District