Rye School Board Ignores Half the Community

and Puts Forth Fake Compromise

On March 12^, Rye voters defeated a school bond referendum by the narrowest of margins—just ten votes. The result can be seen as a reasonably accurate proxy for the community’s attitude towards the bond: half believe the bond is excessive while half believe otherwise. Given this split you would think the School Board would try to accommodate the views of <<<half the community>>> before scheduling another referendum. You would be wrong.

Leading up to the vote, many residents raised legitimate concerns about the bond. Given that these concerns were shared by about <<<half the community>>> you would think the School Board would publicly address these before scheduling another referendum. Again, you would be wrong.

Don’t be fooled by the Board’s new tricky two-step ballot: first a vote on a $70 million bond and then a vote on an additional $10 million bond. This is a fake compromise. The Board apparently believes they simply need to pressure a few more parents to get out and vote and then can ignore the wishes of <<<half the community>>>. But we are Garnets too.

It’s chilling to see such hubris, especially in a once congenial community like Rye. Rather than accommodate, the School Board prefers to dictate. Until now, Rye has always found a middle path that balances the enthusiastic desires of school parents and the rest of taxpayers who provide the majority of resources that keep our schools great.

Rye taxpayers continue to face declining property values. And, having just paid our federal taxes without the benefit of a full property tax deduction, we now know the true burden that the Rye School Board imposes on us. The School Board is determined to make a bad situation worse.

On June 11 stand with that <<<half of the community>>> that believes even the $70 million bond is excessive. Just vote “NO”.

 

• Robert N. Laughlin