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When will the JCSD board consider the taxpayers?

To the editor:

Might someone explain logically how it is that our school property taxes are skyrocketing? Could it be that the present school board thinks money is a gift so as to cover its delusions? Many of the budget items, if looked upon objectively, are simply luxuries or secondary hires not necessary in the creation of a stable and functional education for the students. The purpose of schools is to teach; it is not in the entertainment or minor league sports endeavors.

In the listings for hires in a recent newspaper I have taken note of many who really have nothing to do with teaching but rather more akin to assistants and/or babysitters. Even the cafeterias seem to be better manned than restaurants of some corporate facilities.

Is there ever a consideration for those who live on fixed incomes who responsibly planned for their retirement survival seemingly with a better long-term plan than the school board budgets; or does it not matter for they can take from the shrinking pockets of many whose tax burden has become a destructive force that now even demands the taxpayer limit food, medicines, heat and often simply making the difficult choices affecting their lives? They cannot make the gravy train choices that the school boards seem so eagerly able to include in their budgets that are forced upon the citizenry who are forced to pay the bills. The property owner taxpayer is left with a simple “PAY UP OR GET OUT.”

Many of those collecting Social Security and so many others on private pensions find themselves suffering due to the burdensome taxes all the while they have been denied any increase in their own retirement benefits — sometimes over multiple years. Heck, it seems the government employees are getting pay raises sometime two, three or four times the rate of taxpayer salaries and their rare retirement raises. Why not just tax every penny out of the pocket of the taxpayer and leave them with an allowance pittance? With the increases being scaled by percentile rather than fixed sums it will not be too long until that idiocy becomes a reality.

I think the school budgets should be linked to the cost of living index just as the retirement income of seniors is linked to C.O.L.A. How can a group of people survive when their income is restricted yet their tax burden is increased over and over again by an oppressive tax system? The sale of their homes and the door to the poorhouse will eventually be the only available options left to them.

No, we do not need a restructuring of our school system nor a further addition to the costs incurred for the building of consolidated schools. It seems we do need a responsible maintenance program that would thwart the necessity to rebuild our schools rather than maintain them as provided in the budget. Where might I ask is the money allocated for those purposes being directed?

A 25-year return on money now being suggested is not feasible especially for those now in their senior years. We need a budget freeze; a budget limited to an honest inflation rate — not another “need it for the kids” propaganda message.

Diane L. Logan

Mifflintown

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