To the editor:

The Mehlville School District received an unearned pardon when Proposition R was passed.

To be sure, the district already pardoned itself long ago. But I’m disappointed at just how quickly and overwhelmingly the community has decided to absolve the district.

The district never did anything to earn back our trust. They simply appropriated it and promised to do things to earn it later.

And even the promises are still vague.

The district’s “Strategic Plan” is little more than promises to come up with a strategic plan. There was also never any explanation of alternative proposals and why they were rejected.

Finally, to give you an idea of just how presumptuous the district has been in demanding your money, please notice that they never explained what they planned to do if Prop R did not pass beyond promising that, whatever it was, it would be bad.

The district didn’t even have the courage to ask for all the money they supposedly need up front.

The full tax increase won’t be realized until a year from now. The district also says Prop R “does not solve our financial needs.” You know what that means: More tax increases are planned.

It never seemed to occur to Prop R supporters that they had the option of giving more money to the district all along without force.

In fact, I would argue they had a moral obligation to be paying the tax increase long before it was time to vote on Prop R.

Remember, they said the district needed the money right away, that it would have a “minimal impact” on you and me, that our property values depended on it.