In 2014 and 2018 $2.06 and $2.42 per $1,000 in school tax increases were on the ballot.
We defeated those unaffordable levies.
The school district refused to look at less expensive modular construction and at renovating buildings to remedy the most pressing problems, proposing to raze them instead.
Nothing has changed.
We were told in 2014 the high school was going to fall down if nothing was done and in 2018 that the money should be spent on a different school, the high school now being fine until 2030.
We are now asked to approve a $2.62 per $1,000 tax increase or $655 annually on a $250,000 house.
What was unaffordable for many people then is even more unaffordable now with an even higher tax rate.
The argument that this levy would be largely offset by the EPO levy declining from $3 to $1.50 is false.
Most of that tax burden was just shifted under McCleary to state school taxes increasing from $2.09 in 2017 to $3.07 now.
This levy would fund a brand new school not replacing existing buildings for $28 million, despite flat enrollment not requiring additional classrooms and having a mothballed school at Fairview shut down for lack of pupils.
Instead of the lowest construction costs for new schools we are asked to pay $750 per square foot.
For all these reasons let us send this much too expensive proposal back to the drawing board and vote no.
Kaj Ahlburg
Port Angeles