For decades, conservative members of the Mehlville Board of Education have foisted their anti-public education and anti-tax views on the community, to the long-term detriment of the school district.
That continues today with board members Lori Trakas and Jamey Murphy. In August, the school board voted 5-1, with Murphy absent, to place Proposition R for Restore, a 49-cent tax-rate increase, on the Nov. 3 ballot. Trakas was opposed. Murphy could not attend the meeting due to a work commitment, but easily could have participated in the meeting by telephone and cast a vote on the issue.
Trakas was elected in 2013 and is up for re-election next April. We did not endorse her in 2013 and certainly will not endorse her if she decides to seek re-election. She ran for office to “improve the educational quality and experience each child receives, preparing them for the challenges they face in (the) 21st century.”
Voting against placing Prop R on the ballot does not achieve that goal.
Instead, Trakas appears much more interested in representing a few anti-public education, anti-tax constituents, putting their interests ahead of what is best for the entire community.
We also did not endorse Murphy, who was elected in April. Murphy ran for the board, saying, “I plan on directing more money into the classroom and to end the current environment of Washington-esque, frivolous spending of our current board.”
Roughly six months into Murphy’s term as a school board member, we’re still waiting for his suggestions to end wasteful spending.
Both Murphy and Trakas attended a Tesson Ferry Township Republican Club meeting last week when the club voted to oppose Prop R. Murphy is the club’s membership chairman, while Trakas is not a club member.
Ironically, Murphy’s father, Jim Murphy, led the club’s effort to oppose Prop R, outlining “reasons for opposing the tax increase,” according to the organization’s October newsletter.
We’re glad that all Republicans are not as shortsighted and ill-informed as Jim Murphy, the club’s vice president.
For example, Oakville Republican Mark Haefner fully supports the tax-rate hike. Haefner, whose mother is Rep. Marsha Haefner, R-Oakville, recently said he can’t think of a single reason not to support Prop R.
We believe Republicans opposed to Prop R like Jim Murphy are a minority, while enlightened GOP members such as Mark Haefner will help push Prop R over the top on Election Day.
