No respect for ‘scare tactics’

BY ED REA

I am in favor of the school bond proposal, but I respect people who oppose it on rational grounds. What I do not respect is the misinformation on the yellow signs on our streets and on mailers. They claim that the bond proposal will result in a 20% tax hike, with the implication that the hike will come in FY 26.

The 12.3% school bond tax increase is a sum of projected increases over 6 years, FY 27-32; there is NO increase projected in FY 26. To get to the 20%, the bond opponents add the 6-year FY 27-32 total increase to a 7.7% town budget tax increase, which is presumably for FY 26.

If the school bond proposal passes, the FY 26 tax increase will be 7.7%, not 20%. The FY 27-32 increases will be whatever town budget tax increase is approved plus bond increments between 1.3 % and 2.8%.

I respect good faith differences of opinion on the substance of the school bond proposal. I do not respect incorrect tax increase scare tactics.