Measure O

Dear Editor: The citizens of Downey are being asked to support Measure O, a special tax put on homeowners only to improve our schools.

We all want good schools, but knowing that the California legislature has passed the largest state spending budget in history, one might think they could pay for this. Especially since Gov. Brown has welcomed children from Central America and we must pay for them.

Yes, I know that this is a Democratic way of assuring they can get the Hispanic vote for years to come. It seems that if they could afford $7,000 to have a coyote to bring them here, they weren’t hurting too badly and we could return them more cheaply than paying the $166,000 a year we’re paying to keep them here.

Also, there are children from other cities attending Downey schools. Maybe the supporters who want the improvements could find a way to tax everyone, not just homeowners, but you know the new U.S. motto “take from the 50 percent who have worked hard and tried to save for the future and give it to the 50 percent who don’t work” (many don’t even try, since the government pays more not to work than the wages they get working) and live off government giveaway programs.

By now you might guess that I’m not for a special tax (Measure O) on only homeowners. I’m for the taxes I pay the state of California (highest state tax in the U.S.) to pay for the schools. I’m also not for Common Core, which has cost federal taxpayers mega bucks and a few states have had the wisdom to opt out.

It isn’t so much the building or the playground that produces learning and knowledge, it’s the curricula and good teachers and disciplined students whose parents support and are interested in their child’s learning. I might add that history should be taught. It isn’t being taught now in Common Core, at least it should be covered honestly. It is slanted pitifully. Every parent who cares about their child’s education should read about Common Core (try to figure out the “new” math).

I know I’m going to offend some in education who are really trying very hard to educate children. That’s not my intention.

The thought just came to me that if some of this federal and state grant money that tears up our streets for unneeded medians and plantings which must be watered and cared for, instead of painted left-turn lanes that make it safer for fire or police, were put into upgrading our schools, that would be putting it to good use. These “grants” need to be revisited so money is spent on truly needed projects.

But that’s probably asking too much from politicians.

Elsa Van Leuven

Downey

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Published: Oct. 2, 2014 - Volume 13 - Issue 25