Find other way to finance pool

Find other way to finance pool

I believe most residents in the area who provide tax dollars to Lake Park High School support a swimming pool. I have for many years. The concern I have is how to pay for the pool. I have voted no to increased taxes to pay for the pool each time a referendum is presented to the taxpayers.

Here's why:

The Lake Park board and administration have a responsibility to manage the huge amount of money received from taxpayers. Here's one idea: During contract talks the board could increase salaries a half-percent less in order to help pay for a pool.

There should not be any additional tax dollars being spent to pay for a pool and future maintenance of the pool. I challenge the board of education to start running the school as a business. There's enough money. Tough decisions and honest and straight forward contract negotiations must be pursued to accomplish getting a pool for our high school and not shouldering the tax payers with additional taxes.

In 2013, my last night as a school board member for Keeneyville District 20, I told the new board and others in the audience that the greatest challenge to our school is to provide a balanced budget every year, but more importantly to plan several years ahead to make sure we are making proper decisions concerning future changes to expenses and revenues. The last thing I wanted to hear as a taxpayer is that the state and the federal government are reducing revenues to the schools. We already know that is going to happen. Make the right decisions now.

Mike Fuechtmann

Roselle