Why $90 million?

Editor,

I attended a town hall meeting this evening (Wednesday, October 24, 2012) in Springville to find out more about Measure J and its implications for Springville residents. Unfortunately, neither the school district nor the committee supporting Measure J sent representatives to answer our questions although they were asked repeatedly, agreed to do so initially and then backed out.  We did have Mr. Harden, who opposes the measure to give us his reasons for opposing it.

At the town hall, one community member spoke very favorably of the school district, its leaders, and the manner in which they have managed funds.

For me, and perhaps others, the unanswered questions are a real sticking point. How did the school district come up with a figure of $90 million?  What specific projects would they undertake and how are those projects prioritized? Many school districts in California are seeking bond funds. One presented a list to their voters showing a list of projects and projected costs for each.  The Porterville School District has given voters a vague generalization of how the money will be spent.

I have no reason to doubt the gentleman who had favorable reports of the school district’s handling of fiscal matters; however, there is no guarantee that the administrators of today will be the administrators of tomorrow. So, if you ask me to vote to give you $90 million dollars to spend, you do have to go about it professionally — show me how you arrived at that figure and how you plan to spend it. Put it in writing and expect me and future tax payers to hold you accountable. If you cannot do that, I can’t vote for this measure.

Sandy Whaling
Springville