Letter to the Editor

On the Override

Dear Editor

I feel the dread, uncertainty, and disbelief that many of you are feeling. Not only on the national outcome of the presidential, senatorial, and house elections, but on Question 6 locally. 

Our students deserve at least level service to continue for our schools. Our teachers deserve this too. The future of our community will be built off of how we fund our schools. This will not be the end of the conversation on this question. Our community needs to increase funding to our schools or people will see their property values decimated as the quality of our schools declines. If people are concerned about the increased cost to their taxes, they have not recently looked into the cost of private school or the cost of private lessons on any of the individual topics like languages, AP topics, or music. 

I came away from this election with an understanding that I must be missing something about what people’s individual concerns are. I see a contradictory concern about enough accountability in the government smashed against an enthusiasm for handing the keys to folks who only have their personal interests in mind. 

So what now? I cannot sit still and wait to see what happens. I hope you will join me in asking for accountability and transparency from our community’s and our country’s leadership. There were many folks asking, how can the money from the override only be locked in for a few years before becoming part of the general budget? To that I say, the only way for us to ensure our community is continuing to fund the schools appropriately is to be engaged in the process. 

Go out and advocate for passing the override the next time it goes to a vote. Knock on doors and talk to people. Engage with the councilors and make sure that the stewards of our community are doing their job well. That is not to say that they deserve to receive nasty emails, but nor does it mean that any email asking for accountability is inherently nasty. Let’s all work to get to know our neighbors and build a community that cares for one another. The path forward is not clear and will likely not be easy, but it will be together.

Sincerely,

Cassie Witthaus  Of Winthrop Working Together