No more school levies

I read with interest May 26, the front-page article on school financing (“Spokane schools face funding dilemma,” May 26).

Local public school systems have shown an intense abuse and disrespect to taxpayers with how they decided to implement the McCleary settlement and Sportsplex project. Financial managers of these districts knew full well that pay raise settlements as implemented would put the districts in their current position.

Public school administrators appear to favor levy increases recently approved by the state for additional funds over the long term, but in the interim might take short-term loans from Spokane County. This would provide time for funding issue disputes to die down while schools prepare to implement additional funding via levies in the next several years. The article did list alternatives to additional funding, but saw no indication that cutting expenses was being seriously considered.

I would caution the county against providing low-cost loans that will siphon money away from basic county needs and with repayment in question if taxpayers disapprove future school levies. Given the school system abuse and disrespect to taxpayers, I will be voting against new school levies.

Garith W. Krause

Spokane