To the editor:

Two issues on the upcoming April 7 municipal election deserve particular attention: the election of candidates to the Lindbergh school board, and Crestwood’s Proposition 4.

The incumbent candidates for Lindbergh presided on the board when the district made what it characterized as a “mistake” that ended up costing taxpayers $12 million. This failure in oversight is attributable in part to the board’s practice of voting in unanimity, rarely challenging (at least publicly) the direction of school administration. This isn’t a healthy approach, especially for those whose primary responsibility is to the people who elected them, not the institution they serve. The only candidate who has promised to ask tough questions on our behalf is Richard Breeding. I hope you join me in giving him the opportunity to serve on Lindbergh’s board.

Also on the ballot is Crestwood’s Prop 4, which proposes to amend the city charter by extending the terms of mayor and aldermen from three to four years. Not one elected official suggested this change; it was a recommendation from city administration. In defending the proposed change, it was claimed that adding an extra year to terms would help preserve institutional knowledge. This weak claim is belied by the fact that knowledge is already preserved in the current term structure, since elected officials can serve more than one term. While extending terms provides no demonstrable benefit, there is a serious downside.

Asking potential candidates to commit to four years in office has the potential to discourage those who would otherwise be interested in running. We don’t need to “fix” what isn’t broken. Please vote NO on Proposition 4.

Martha Duchild

Crestwood