What is wrong with the Mehlville School District’s Facilitating Team making recommendations to improve the district without means to fund the improvements?

Shocking, but typical Mehlville School District mentality.

I hope the economics being taught the students includes a bit more realism than what this group proposes. The remedy for miscalculating and overspending once again is to tax the homeowners — not create a budget and stick to it.

We are already overtaxed. With the unsettling real-estate market, the assessed value of our homes — the basis of our tax — in many cases is more than what many homes are worth. Our assessments and taxes should be reduced, not increased.

Why should homeowners be interested in restoring the district’s tax rate to 2006 levels? We did not put the district in this situation. The folks that made the errors should be responsible for their mistakes — hold them accountable.

This deficit should not be shouldered by the taxpayer just because the district was quick to accept erroneous information.

Geez, we have extra money, so spend it.

It’s difficult to imagine that management was unaware they would dip below the state-required fund balance. Obviously, no check-and-balance system was in place.

And these are our educators?

The “no-tax” cure is to simply add a 15-year extension to the taxes we already pay. Will this tax extension take us to year 2030 and beyond? This scenario is unacceptable.

News flash — people are losing their homes, gasoline is nearly $4 per gallon, health-care costs have become a burden for the average family and deductibles, co-pays and pharmacy costs are rising faster than salary increases — if you are fortunate enough to have a job. Bought milk, bread and other staples lately? It all costs more. And you would like to burden the taxpayer further?

I have been in this district for over 17 years. Although there have been several superintendents, school-board members and committees, the policies remain the same — outright mismanagement and inordinate spending, again and again.

Save the district money and forgo submitting this issue to the already-overtaxed voters. Be creative and rectify this economic calamity with your existing funds.

Stop spending money you don’t have. It’s unlikely that taxpayers will support another district debacle.

Sue Jernigan

Oakville