Consider The Tax Implications

To the Editor:

If we have a referendum about our over budget school addition, taxpayers need to understand that it is not just about $6 million more for this addition. But about spending $46 million for just 123 overcrowded students. That is $373,983 per student which is outrageous considering that we also need to spend on the middle school next year and they will probably want another $30 million.

All told, the new town hall at Fairfield Hills, the high school addition, and middle school could add $90 million. An outrageous amount to spend during a “depression.” Stop insulting our intelligence with the tax implications of $6 million for next year. What are the tax implications for the $46 million over the next six years or the tax implications of $90 million for the next six years?

Do the math concerning the 123 overcrowded students, divide by 22 students per class room equals just six classrooms to solve the overcrowding. But the new addition is equivalent to more than 30 classrooms.

Building 12 classrooms plus three new labs is more than adequate for future expansion. But 30 classrooms means that at least half will sit empty for years. But we will still have to heat those rooms if finished.

Stop the lies told by the supporters of the school addition regarding losing school accreditation and college admission. We were also told it would only cost about $600,000 yearly to operate this new addition, the correct number will be closer to $2 million dollars.

The whole package needs to be revisited and either built incrementally or cut back. Such as build the entire building but only finish 60 percent internally. Swap out the roof garden for solar panels and cancel the AstroTurf.

If the PTA really cares about education may I suggest facing the issues of drugs and raising the academic bar.

Stop drugs in our schools; do random, unannounced checks of the schools with police dogs.

Restore class rankings and throw out political correctness.

Require four years of English, math, and science to graduate from high school.

Stop twisting taxpayers’ arms with all or nothing proposals that is not management but political maneuvering. Offer taxpayers responsible choices. Face the fact that we are heading into a depression not a recession.

 This week it was Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch that failed. Over the next three months it will be Washington Mutual, Wachovia, and HSBC and eventually around 300 more will fail.

Nationally more than 10 percent of all mortgages are more than 60 days late or in foreclosure. A big problem which is forecast to grow to 15 percent before we bottom out. And nationally there are over $350 billion worth of Option ARMs that will reset in 2010 and 2011 with mortgage payments that will be 35 to 50 percent higher makes it clear that a recovery is many years away.

While I’m all for fixing the overcrowding and provide for reasonable growth, I do not want to pay for a Taj Mahal. Overspending does not equal a blue ribbon school; it just spends excessive money.

Daniel Kormanik

85 Great Ring Road, Sandy Hook                       September 18, 2008