Increase in school taxes would be hardship for many

Increase in school taxes would be hardship for many
EDITOR:
I am greatly concerned about the proposed tax levies for the Youngstown City School District. First of all, the combined amount of these levies seems exorbitant. Using the example in the article in The Vindicator on May 24 of $160 per year on a $40,000 house and converting that to my current taxes on my home, my property taxes would increase by over 30 percent. This would be a financial disaster to anyone living on a fixed income such as I am when we are already struggling to make ends meet with the high cost of utilities, gasoline, etc. This city already has enough homes in foreclosure without people being forced to sell their homes because they can't afford their taxes.
Secondly, I feel the school board owes the taxpayers of the city more proof than I have seen so far that they are doing everything possible to save money before they ask for any more money. As an example, I live in the Kirkmere Elementary School area. I recently heard that Kirkmere was becoming a K-4 school starting with the 2006-2007 school year. Students in grades 5 and 6 will now be sent to the Old West Elementary School. To me, this is a great waste of money just in gasoline for the buses alone. The majority of the students who attend West Elementary live north of Mahoning Avenue, yet the new school was built on South Schenley. Therefore, most of the students attending this new school have to be bused to school. Now they want to add to that by busing children in the Kirkmere/Cornersburg area all the way to the old West school. In my opinion, this is far from being fiscally responsible.
Finally, I feel that until and unless we, the property owners of Youngstown, are given full disclosure of the school district's true financial picture, we should start planning now to vote a resounding NO on these levies.
SHERYL ECKERT
Youngstown
Linking shooting to Rayen is a disservice to the school
EDITOR:
As a member of the Youngstown School Board, I deeply regret the recent tragic double teen murder. I am equally disturbed by The Vindicator's destructive spin story regarding this tragedy. I am referring to the headline and accompanying article that stated, & quot;the one thing the teenagers have in common is that they all attended Rayen School. & quot;
The story criminalized and stigmatized The Rayen School. I assure readers that our schools do not condone violence. The victims and accused referred to in your story had many things in common and to make their association with Rayen the prominent subject did a disservice to the many students, teachers and parents who love their school and understand that it has a history and legacy of excellence that continues to this day.
Your sensational connection to a regrettable community problem seems to only make people think ill of the school. How can a community progress when the keepers of such a huge voice use it in such malicious attempts to malign the efforts of great students, good parents, excellent teachers, administration and staff?
As a community our hearts ache over the loss of young people for any reason. But from a public official to a newspaper editor: you have a responsibility not to destroy the efforts of hundreds of good people who work so diligently in the Youngstown City School District. When you do, it also detracts from the efforts of the community. Shame on you.
JACQUELINE TAYLOR, member
Youngstown Board of Education