Live within school budget

As one of the uninformed voters who live on the West Plains and north of Fairchild Air Force Base, I voted no on the Cheney School District’s bond issue. This was not because I don’t support schools or children learning, but more about living within a budget.

According to my property tax statement for this year, I paid $2,087.98. Out of that, $814.47 or 39 percent of all taxes raised, goes to schools. Over the last few years, Cheney School District has come to the voters to approve a $72 million bond issue to build two new middle schools and now $42 million for the high school.

It’s about time the district starts to live within its budget. I support Bill John’s recommendations for upgrades at a lower cost ($11 million). Or better yet, how about building a second high school in the Airway Heights/West Plains area?

Will they come to the voters again when the McCleary decision forces them to add even more classrooms in the future with no way of funding them? I may be uninformed and stupid, but I will still vote no again.

Gerald Goertz

Medical Lake