The election behind us, a change of course needed
Posted: Thursday, May 19, 2011 12:00 am
I decided to run for Morrisville school board after patiently attending two years of school board meetings where I felt education had taken a back seat to cutting costs at any expense, and that any opposing public input, no matter how civil, was unwelcome. So I was not surprised by a letter to the editor from Stay on Course supporter and former school board member Bill Farrell, who claimed that people used their "few minutes" to attack or criticize the board.
I didn't know that three minutes of public comment time per person was intended only to praise the board, and that any comments against board actions somehow tarnishes the district. In my view, no comments made at the meeting distorted the board's actions or gave the wrong impression. The comments and questions were made respectfully, and were based on factual public information.
In another letter to the editor, sitting board member John "Jack" Buckman implied that public comments forced sitting board President Bill Hellmann to make political statements at the end of the meeting. What Mr. Buckman failed to say is that Mr. Hellmann's political speech was made facing the video camera, and was done at an official school board meeting on public school grounds. It was posted on the district's website and broadcast on TV at taxpayers' expense.
Mr. Buckman also failed to say that Mr. Hellmann said, "If you want higher taxes, vote for the yellow signs," which clearly referred to the yellow (and blue) signs my Morrisville Matters running mates and I used. This made Mr. Hellmann's comments clearly political and totally inappropriate.
The Stay on Course candidates do not hold a patent on lower taxes. I and my Morrisville Matters running mates pledged to work hard to keep Morrisville's school taxes flat or lower, and to look for ways to help those for whom school taxes are an extra heavy burden. We stated this publicly many times, which makes me wonder why our opposition kept saying that we were going to raise taxes. We are homeowners and taxpayers too, and the idea that we want to raise our own taxes is absurd.
We offered a fresh and balanced look at how to provide the best education we can at a cost we can all afford. With the election now behind us, we need to move ahead to build a school district that will attract people looking to start families and invest in our borough. Board President Hellmann publicly stated that he advises people not to invest a dime in Morrisville. That's the wrong "course."
Ted Parker
Morrisville
5 comments:
Great letter Ted. You really summed it nicely.
2 bad it didn't hit the paper before the election. Look at it as the start of the march to Nov. 8!!!
Awesome letter! Thank you for writing eventhough it got in after primary it sums things up nicely!
Thanks for the capital health ad I may need their services soon with all the post election cuts and other games I just may stroke out
Too bad the Kohl's sale is over you could be stylin in the hospital if you survive. You do have health care, don't you? Depressing.
it is depressing for sure
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