Read the signs

Published 1:06 am Friday, October 3, 2008

Recently four signs, about 4 feet by 3 feet, were set up in the Carnation-Duvall area. The signs said, “Got truth? Reject Proposition #1 – www.river-viewschools.org.” Everyone in this area is aware of the megapush by bond supporters, ranging from hundreds of staked signs to billboard-sized displays, to entire playfield mock-ups. Not to mention flier upon flier upon flier.

So, when in less than 12 hours the four “Got truth?” signs had been pulled from the ground and stolen, I had to wonder why. What on those signs was so scary, so threatening, that someone felt such an urgency to see them removed?

So, I logged onto www.river-viewschools.org, and now I know what they were so afraid of. The truth. Take for example all those fliers. All totaled, their figures are off by more than $126,000! Several of the proponents’ “fact” sheets refer to the roof repair figures as $810,000 minus $550,000 and equalling $310,000! That one figure is off by $50,000! And there are lots more.

I urge community members to read the fliers and do the math, or log on to the Web site. See for yourself.

We are a financially strapped district with a weak tax base that has struggled to balance its past three budgets. The uncertainty surrounding I-728 and I-732 has left our district, along with others, trying to craft next years’ budget without knowing exactly what the effects of either initiative will be.

It would be ludicrous for this small district to strap itself into a 20-year tax commitment on a bond that even its supporters can’t get the right figures for.

Reject Proposition 1. We are going to need the money.

Karen M. Hill

Carnation