To the editor:

I was infuriated by Karen Johnson’s “you get what you pay for” and her statement that the residents of the district have chosen to purchase below market value because the tax proposal was defeated.

The neighborhood parochial schools operate with a lot less than $6,926 per student. Are we to assume according to her criteria, the hundreds of children residing in the district who are privately instructed are victims of substandard and inferior education?

This writer assumes that all the problems in our public schools will be remedied if we keep throwing money down a deep drain — the Mehlville School District.

Times have changed, we are now responsible for more of our health-care costs and pensions are being phased out or eliminated. All individuals are expected to bear costs once shouldered by others.

She should thank the parents of all the under educated — for lack of funds — parochial school children for their present tax dollars and put her energy into finding ways to hold families financially liable who are actually using the system. For starters, institute activity, book and transportation fees, or eliminate bus service all together.

Eliminate those costly newsletters — spare us the rhetoric and save a tree — studies and surveys. These are all ideas that have been proposed before, but dismissed in the district’s effort to garner more monies from taxpayers.

Public education must begin to follow cost cutting standards of business and industry, and realize you can get what you pay for if those using the system “pay for it.” Surely these families with school-age children will gladly oblige.

The rest of us who try to live within our means are tired of subsidizing the district’s budget-challenged mentality and decisions.

That’s why we resoundingly voted “no” to the latest tax proposal.

In closing, I’d like to thank Mr. Frank for representing “all” the district taxpayers. It’s nice to have a fair-minded voice of reason among those who just give everything a “nod.”

Sue Jernigan

Oakville