Support flagging for Batavia schools

To the Batavia school board:

Give or take a year I was one of many who along with 85-year-old Amos Hartman sparked a yes vote on a referendum ... a generation ago. Now it is my turn to be 85, and I spoke in favor of the most recent referendum.

I guess all good things come to an end.

The recent announcement of a new tax levy gives me pause in my continued support of our school district. We senior citizens are no more immune to increasing living costs than anybody else, but I have a good/bad example of what happens to senior citizens.

After a couple of years of no increase in benefits, the net gain was, after deductions for Medicare, about enough for a good dinner for one.

The newspaper report tells me that I not only lost the increased benefit, but the new levy will result in more than just a several percent reduction in the previous benefit.

In the past there were many complaints in the community about how the board was doing, and even more about the bloat at the staffing/administrative level.

I am prepared to listen to valid explanations of district problems — but not excuses or alibis. Indeed I voted yes, but in the future? Education is prime, but fiscal responsibilities go hand in hand with it.

Robert W. Mabbs

Batavia