LETTER TO THE EDITOR: ‘No’ to DUSD bond

Dear Editor: Please vote “NO” at this time.

Not only will this tax hike increase your property taxes, it could also increase rents for struggling Downey, Bellflower, South Gate and Bell Gardens families who rent.

These families can least afford further tightening of their household budgets as well as homeowners on fixed incomes, like seniors who want to stay in their homes.

In the last general election so many tax increases passed, can’t we have a break? How many more tax increases can we afford before more people have to move out of California? The County just placed a park tax on the ballot. How many more taxes can we afford? Why can’t government stick to a budget like everyone else or save ahead for long term projects?

If the Downey Unified School District was rich enough last year to give out so many raises, why didn’t they set aside more money for school repairs and technology for our students? Yes, we want the best for our kids, maybe the school district could be better run to reduce the tax hit on struggling homeowners and renters as well. Why doesn’t the current construction bond program include apprenticeships for Downey Adult School students to learn the trades?

Money for school repairs, new technology, and new buildings was promised in the last bond. Why wasn’t more money set aside in the budget over the years for capital improvements, school repairs, computers etc... for when the bond money would run out? Long term planning is key to a well run public corporation, if it intends to continue to earn the public’s trust.

The school district doesn’t have a local hire goal in the construction bond program to set a certain percentage of the construction jobs to local workers and construction firms from our four cities. If it is our money, why not recycle as much as possible back to our community to help reduce local unemployment rates and business closures!

Please vote “NO”, send a message to the Downey school board to include taxpayers in their budget priorities.

$248,000,000 is only the principal of the debt, plus the interest adding millions more for many years upon your property tax bill every December and April.

John Paul Drayer Bellflower

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Published: Aug. 7, 2014 - Volume 13 - Issue 17