BEA endorses

191 candidates

To the editor:

The Burnsville Education Association has endorsed Susan Martin, Nancy Banyard, Dan Luth, and Gail Morrison for School Board. These are the people who will move District 191 forward while maintaining excellence and integrity.Dan and Gail bring their experience as incumbents. Both keep kids first in their analyses of issues and the decisions they make. Susan and Nancy both bring long histories of volunteerism in schools and the community.  Susan has the experience of having moved away from Burnsville and was surprised to find the quality of schools here could not be matched elsewhere. She brought her family back to Burnsville for the schools and will work to make our great public schools even better. Susan has embraced the growing diversity in our community by organizing a multicultural fair at Nicollet Junior High.Nancy has put children and community first throughout her life. Nancy has been involved in education issues since childhood, having learned from her mother who was a teacher. She believes in accountability and will work to provide the necessary support for all learners. For Nancy, schools are the heart of the community.

Bob Nystrom

President, Burnsville

Education AssociationBrian Rappe

Teacher & Chair of Candidate Screening Committee

Dan Luth is a

valuable asset

To the editor:

It has truly been a privilege to serve on the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School Board for the past five years. Part of what has made it such a rich and rewarding experience has been working with wonderful board members, staff members, students and families. One of these great folks is Dan Luth. Dan and I were elected at the same time and began our service on the school board in January 2002. I have found Dan to be a very passionate and knowledgeable board member, always eager to spend time asking questions to fully understand the issues and implications of our decisions. Dan has been an asset to the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District, and I believe that his continued leadership and vision will serve the district well over the next four years.

Karen C. Balmer

Burnsville

Ease transportation

woes with ‘yes’ vote

To the editor:

We have an excellent opportunity on Nov. 7 to show support for better roads and transit by voting “yes” on the Minnesota Transportation Amendment.Minnesota residents are entitled to move safely and more efficiently throughout the state. That’s the simple message from more than 1,000 organizations, including labor unions, local governments and businesses that support of Minnesotans for Better Roads and Transit.Roads within the state, particularly within Scott County, have been neglected for too long. Deteriorating conditions have created serious congestion and safety problems. Roads like County Road 42, County Road 101, Trunk Highway 13 and Highways 169 and I-35W are busier and more congested than ever and do not serve the needs of local residents and businesses. Too many roads and bridges in our area were not built for today’s demands and, with current funding levels, our roads and bridges will not be improved in the near future. Just to maintain the current level of traffic congestion within the state, the State Department of Transportation is expected to need an additional $1 billion per year over the existing funding levels, which does not account for any county or local roadway improvement needs.Congestion costs the average commuter in the Twin Cities area over $700 per year in wasted time and fuel. With the current and expected cost of gasoline, this cost will continue to increase. An additional 1 million people are expected to move into the area in the next 15 to 20 years, generating an additional 4 million trips each year, demonstrating the immediate need to remove bottlenecks and reduce congestion.I encourage all residents of the state to inform themselves about the Minnesota Transportation Amendment by visiting www.voteyesmn.org.

Michael R. Turner, P.E.

Savage 

Judge Savre

states his case

To the editor:

 I serve as a judge in the First Judicial District, which includes Scott County, and I am up for election this November.I was appointed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty in April 2004. Nineteen lawyers applied for the position. The selection process took three months and included an extensive background check and interviews with the Commission on Judicial Selection and the governor's office. Prior to becoming a judge, I was a courtroom lawyer for 23 years. My full biography is available online at JudgeSavre.org.I received 94 percent of the votes in a recent straw poll among the district's attorneys. I've been unanimously endorsed by all the sheriffs and county attorneys in the seven-county district. Gov. Pawlenty recently called me “an excellent jurist – a man of principle and justice.” Support like that has inspired me to continue my service as a judge.My opponent is a politician who tried to get appointed and now wants to be elected judge. He is the only judicial candidate on the November ballot statewide who has sought political party endorsement. He says he wants to stir things up and change business as usual in our justice system. I believe judges must remain independent and impartial. When you enter a courtroom, you should never have to worry which political party helped elect the presiding judge.I would appreciate your support Nov. 7. The word “incumbent” behind my name is your assurance I've been found to possess the temperament, knowledge and experience necessary to serve my fellow citizens as a judge.

Michael R. Savre

Judge of District Court

First Judicial District 

Nancy Banyard

has what it takes

To the editor:

Residents of District 191 need Nancy Banyard’s leadership on its School Board. Nancy has a passion for our schools. She knows our district because she has been actively involved in our education system for 10-plus years. Her involvement covers all levels – local, district and state. During these diverse and financially challenging times, Nancy is just the right person to make sure all resources are being properly managed.Nancy is a mother of two teenagers, one at Nicollet Junior High and the other at Burnsville Senior High. Nancy has the flexibility necessary to meet the demands of a School Board member. She knows the importance of being available and accessible so your voice will be heard. She has been on our side of the fence as a parent and will empathize with your concerns. Let’s give her the opportunity to take her passion and experience to the next level by voting for her as a District 191 School Board member.

Mark Davis

Burnsville 

District 191 needs

basic funding

To the editor:

I am writing to encourage all voters in ISD 191 to go to the polls and vote “yes” on the proposed levy to fund our schools. Please note that I said “fund,” not improve – the last few years have taken a terrible toll on this school district.Also, go to the polls and vote for those politicians who are supporting education and then let’s hold them accountable for getting real dollars into our school district.Our children are our future. Who will you be relying on when Social Security fails?

Deborah Dewalt

Burnsville

Referendum is only

part of solution

To the editor:

Are you wondering how to vote on the District 191 referendum? It seems like a lot of money, especially when our house value goes up around 10 percent each year and, in turn, the bottom line on our taxes seems to go up around 10 percent, as well. How can the schools need more than a 10 percent raise for its general fund?Recession or not, my home values have increased every year and, even with the pledge of "No New Taxes," so have my real estate taxes. So why the referendum?

Did you know that schools don't get the increases in your property value or real estate taxes? It's all a big shell game! Check out the numbers on your property tax form and see what amounts actually go to the school district. Compare that to the city, county and state amounts. Real estate taxes are up 48 percent in the last four years, according to an article in the Star Tribune.

Assuming they keep the rate the same, the city, county and state get to benefit from your house value going up, but not the kids. When the state took over paying for all the per pupil aid, back in Jesse's day, the state also started controlling any per pupil increase. Because of the recession and the state's budget shortfalls, as your property went up in value – and your real estate taxes – state aid to the district decreased or stayed flat.The district has been cutting and cutting and the reserve fund is empty, so please, please vote “yes” on the referendum. Then ask the legislators you're going to vote for how they plan to get your increased taxes back to the district's kids ... so we don't have to keep running these darn referendums every few years!

T.L. Ische

Burnsville 

Judge Savre will

serve honorably

To the editor:

As a former resident of Savage, now living and working in the western end of the First Judicial District, I am writing to urge you to cast your vote for incumbent Judge Mike Savre, chambered in Glencoe. Judge Savre is facing a challenge from a Hutchinson politician endorsed by the Republican Party.Actually he was endorsed by the very few delegates that bothered to show for the endorsing convention (less than 10 percent of the eligible delegates). Judge Savre is opposed to political party endorsement of judicial candidates. His opponent wants to be the first political party-endorsed candidate elected in Minnesota. That seems to be his only issue, as he has found nothing to criticize about Judge Savre's performance.Judge Savre had big shoes to fill when he was appointed after the death of Judge Yost, the longest-serving trial judge in the history of Minnesota. Judge Savre has performed well. At his swearing-in ceremony, he was described as a “meticulous craftsman ... who possesses five attributes – judgment, understanding, down-to-earth, gracious and expectations”. I have observed these characteristics in his courtroom. Keep Judge Savre and keep politics out of our judicial elections.

Colleen Turner Albright

Waconia 

Throwing money at

schools isn’t answer

To the editor:

Am I the only person concerned that my property taxes in Savage will increase over 18 percent if the District 191 school referendum passes? The county taxes will be increasing 8 percent, the city is increasing 8 percent, the referendum is increasing 46 percent and our home values will increase 6 percent for 2007. This comes to an overall tax increase of 18 percent. I am estimating my property taxes to increase $812 next year, but I don’t recall getting an 18 percent raise.

Most of this increase relates to the referendum. Education is very important for our younger generation, but we must also be careful on how we spend our money. How much could have been saved in cutting down on elaborate new buildings and the money put back into education? Other countries, such as Japan and South Korea, score higher than the U.S. in education and seem to accomplish this task with less money. I’ve spent some time researching this subject and am convinced the amount the referendum is asking for is excessive. Enrollment for District 191 is steadily declining, which means class sizes will actually decrease. It costs approximately $8,000 per student per year to educate our students. Some private schools can do this for $4,000 to $5,000. We need to evaluate ALL costs and keep our property tax increases in check. Last year, the school district cut $4 million from the budget and, according to the test scores, they actually went up. Why? Because throwing more money at the system doesn’t necessary mean we get a better education system.

Dale Feyereisen

Savage 

Where is the

Democratic Utopia?

To the editor:

I have listened and read as much as I can to learn what the Democrats have to offer in this election.

So far, I hear they will spend more money on education. We already are spending significantly more every year and yet countries such as Belgium, which have a competitive education system, laugh at our quality of education while spending much less.

They will solve the Iraq problem. By running away? Nothing like a simple solution to a complex problem!They will fight terrorists. Anti-war and anti-military candidates make that statement. Apparently, the terrorists will just give up if the Democrats are in charge.Everyone, including terrorists will have the right to privacy, a good lawyer and never have to feel uncomfortable when arrested for high crimes. We won’t need Gitmo anymore because all the terrorists will be in our courts.There will be no more scandals in Washington. The Clinton administration that had 40 government officials indicted in his tenure was an apparition.Fiscal responsibility will return and there will be no more pork. So Sen. Byrd and his colleagues will change and we will be able to fund all the additional programs the Democrats want while reducing the debt.Prosperity will come back, so we won’t have to endure 4.6 percent unemployment and a record-high stock market.Democrats promise to let the tax cuts lapse, so we will all be able to contribute more to our efficient government.In an already fiscally tenuous Medicare program, the Democrats will find the solution to add more coverage and spend less money.Social Security will be safe. Does this mean they won’t cheer as they did when they were able to kill the bill to strengthen Social Security in the last session?I am looking forward to a new Democratic Utopia.

John Benedict

Prior Lake 

Voter misses Jim

Ramstad’s voice

To the editor:

Is anybody else around here as disappointed as I am that we can no longer vote for Congressman Jim Ramstad?Being that this district regularly votes Republican, while I normally vote Democrat, I actually appreciated the days when I could vote for a Republican I enjoyed supporting.John Kline, like Ramstad, is a Republican, but it's unfortunate that the similarities stop right there.KSTP TV's sister station, Channel 45, has invited all congressional candidates to debate their challengers during prime time hours as a service to voters. Guess who is the incumbent who agreed to do so? Ramstad, of course. Where was Kline?Apparently, Kline knows too much exposure of his hard-line Bush support may not be in his best interest, even in a heavily Republican voting district like ours. There are times when a deviation from the norm is called for, isn't there?I hope Republican voters will at least take a look at Coleen Rowley's Web site and consider her seriously, just as I did with Jim Ramstad. Rowley has served our country well in her role with the FBI and deserves a chance. We've seen enough of the trillion dollar deficit, the misguided war in Iraq and the total disregard for our environment displayed by Kline, haven't we?Please join me as I once joined you and cross party lines for the common good.Oh, and while you're at it, Will Morgan could certainly use some crossover votes, too. Duke Powell just doesn't measure up, especially considering the move he made to partner with Michele Bachmann in her crusade against equal rights for all members of our community. We need leadership, not appeals to society's prejudices.

Chris Henning

Savage

Gail Morrison will

do exceptional job

To the editor:

I have had the privilege of serving with fellow board member Gail Morrison on the ISD 191 School Board since she was appointed in 2000. She was able to hit the ground running when she first joined the board, and she has been an important contributor to the board at every meeting since. Gail listens carefully to others, considers various perspectives and makes decisions that are always in the best interest of our students. Gail’s knowledge of the school district and community, and many years of experience in education are valuable in discussions and a great asset to the board. Last year, Gail served as my vice chairwoman on the board. As the current board chairwoman, she is doing an exceptional job continuing the direction that was set of strong fiscal management, openness to the community and, most importantly, constantly staying focused on strategies that are geared to student success. I give her my unqualified support, and ask you to support her on Nov. 7.

Todd Johnson

Burnsville 

Vote for Rowley is

a vote for change

To the editor:

I’m writing as a concerned father who has watched this great country undergo a dramatic and frightening change due to a misguided administration that calls itself Republican.It was a series of conservative principles that resulted in my largely voting Republican over the years, but not without consideration for the person versus the party. Smaller government, protection of personal liberties, free trade, fiscal responsibility, empowering private enterprise and a strong but non-invasive foreign policy all formed my allegiance to a conservative foundation evolved from the Goldwater brand of conservatism.I bought into the compassionate conservatism of pre-president George W. Bush as the right balance of social engineering and the aforementioned conservative principles. We all watched in horror as the nightmare of 9/11 darkened the landscape and America looked to our leadership for wisdom in the face of this atrocity, initially optimistic regarding the tough call to invade Afghanistan as a measured and well-orchestrated response, and then Iraq became the focus in the name of protecting us all from the terrorists.The discredited justification to attack Iraq and “either with us or against us,” as pronounced by this administration now darkens the landscape blotted by the deaths of our youth and neighbors. $350 billion dollars spent, and a trillion projected, while a corrupt administration in Baghdad and Washington tells us we must be patient.

We need to step back from blind allegiance to party politics and do the right thing this election year.

This is not what made our country great. This is not right, and this isn’t the Republican Party I embraced. It’s time to vote out the Congress that allowed this administration to do this without question and install critical thinkers who can and will put common sense before politics.Coleen Rowley, career FBI agent of 24 years, stated opposition unequivocally before the war in Iraq via open letter for all to read and has a strong fiscally conservative philosophy. The letter reads like prophecy and, combined with not-politics-as-usual common sense with unwavering integrity, she has my vote.

Pat Rolston

Prior Lake 

Miscommunication

was a travesty

To the editor:

I am writing in regard to an Oct. 21 article titled, "Hostage comment miscommunicated." This article described a horrible miscommunication which led to the homeowner being taken out of the home at gunpoint. The article quotes Detective Dave Muelken of the Savage Police Department as saying, "I'm sure everyone had a good laugh afterward.”

I am very disappointed at the detective’s insensitive comment! I wonder if he would be laughing if this experience happened to one his family members.

Lisa Rudquist

Savage 

Neoconservatives

are ruining U.S.

To the editor:

Neoconservatives (neocons) are supremacists or imperialists. According to Wikipedia, the Internet’s encyclopedia, neocons support aggressive foreign policy, especially unilateralism and don’t care about international consensus through the U.N. They believe in aggressive foreign policy, like free trade agreements that prevent laws to protect labor and the environment. Neocons want a strong military to control the world. Neocons believe in the ability to install democracy after a conflict and pre-emptive attacks even when they have no proof that another country is a threat. Neocons value their goals above human lives.Neocons in or close to the Bush Administration include: ****** Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, Jeb Bush and L. Lewis Libby, Cheney’s aide who revealed the name of a secret undercover CIA agent.The communist Bolsheviks wanted to destroy established ways of life to replace them with communism. The neocons want to do the same, only imposing capitalism that they control instead of socialism.Neocons “aim to make the case and rally support for American global leadership.” They believe “it is important to shape circumstances before crises emerge.” In 2000, they stated: “the process of transformation, even if it brings revolutionary change, is likely to be a long one, absent some catastrophic and catalyzing event – like a new Pearl Harbor” or like 9/11.Bush’s administration fabricated the need for war against Afghanistan and Iraq. Republicans support Bush without question. World domination by force, deceit and corruption are not Christian virtues. Check out the neocon Web site: www.newamericancentury.org.

Allen Frechette

Shakopee 

Duke Powell will

represent us all

To the editor:

I am writing in response to the letter from Bob Nystrom (Savage Pacer, Oct. 21) supporting Will Morgan, liberal candidate for state representative in House District40A. Of course Nystrom would support Morgan. Nystrom is president of the Burnsville Education Association, the very same teachers’ union for which Morgan secured an almost 10 percent wage/benefit increase as union contract negotiator.

This is the very same Will Morgan who opposed dedicating 70 percent of education funding to the classroom, suggested closing a Burnsville grade school to save money and even told teachers to discontinue hall supervision duties. He further proposed a special insurance plan just for teachers at an exorbitant cost to the taxpayer.

If you want to vote for a teachers’ union representative, then vote for Will Morgan. If you want a state representative not beholding to special union interests, then vote for Duke Powell.

Andrea M. Erickson

Burnsville

We can’t afford

Coleen Rowley

To the editor:

It took a while, but Coleen Rowley finally addressed her position on taxes and that she would let the Bush tax cuts “expire.”Included in the tax cuts Rowley would eliminate:

§       Child tax credit: Middle class families with kids received welcome tax relief with an increase in the child tax credit to $1,000 per child. Democrats proposed reducing the child tax credit in 2004 but, recognizing the significance this had with the middle class, the Republican majority extended the credit of $1,000 per child through 2010.

§       Marriage penalty relief: Congress recognized the marriage penalty was hurting middle class families and provided relief from the marriage penalty. But Democrats propose re-installing the marriage tax which would hurt most married couples.

§       Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT): Since John Kline arrived in Congress, Congress has increased the AMT through a series of extensions. In fact, John Kline has led the fight on the AMT. Earlier this summer, he co-sponsored the Stealth Tax Relief Act of 2006, which extends the AMT relief to 2007.Rowley’s plan calls for massive tax increase for the middle class. Anyone with any experience with liberal politicians knows that during campaigns they never talk about middle class tax increases. But they always vote for middle class tax increases. They know that if they told the truth and explained their tax plans they wouldn’t get elected.John Kline favored doubling the per child tax credit, eliminating the marriage penalty, and reducing every taxpayers’ bracket. Coleen Rowley, meanwhile, proposes undoing all of the tax relief and raising taxes on almost every household.My budget can’t afford Rowley in Congress.

Jason Iffert

Savage

Republicans don’t

deserve our support

To the editor:

I used to consider myself to be a moderate Republican, but I think that current Republicans at the state and federal level should not be elected. Why?

At the federal level, Republicans like John Kline and Mark Kennedy have brought us massive budget deficits, corruption, incompetence and cover-ups. These men have been rubber stamps of the Bush administration, allowing monstrous budget deficits and allowing incompetents to gut FEMA and other administrative agencies.

Neither man seems to want to talk about his own record, just smear his opponent with false innuendo. Running against Mark Kennedy is Amy Klobuchar, who runs an office that puts criminals like Republican leaders Tom DeLay and Bob Ney and sexual predators like Republican Congressman Mark Foley in jail. Running against John Kline is Coleen Rowley, Time magazine’s Person of the Year, who has put many mobsters like Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff in jail and has run an FBI office that fought terrorists for years.

At the state level, we have a governor who pushed huge income tax breaks, mostly benefiting the richest Minnesotans, which caused huge budget deficits. That’s why our property taxes are going through the roof – local governments and schools had to raise property taxes to replace the governor’s cuts in state aid. That’s why the state doesn’t have enough money to fix bridges and roads. That’s why crime is increasing. That’s why college tuition has skyrocketed. Our governor has refused to look into the high cost of healthcare premiums or healthcare reforms – his large contributors are against reforms.

Running against him we have Mike Hatch, who we have all seen is brave enough to take on any special interest, no matter how powerful. Mike Hatch has run the Attorney General’s office frugally. I see him running the state just as frugally, and without the influence of special interest groups.

Kerry Meagher

Savage 

Dan Luth brings

accountability

To the editor:

A vote for Dan Luth is a vote for accountability. Dan brings a commitment to high-quality education for all children – gifted, special needs and children in the middle. He works hard to ensure that our school district resources are properly allocated, so that every child has the opportunity to succeed. Dan is not afraid to ask the tough questions before moving ahead with new programs.A vote for Dan Luth is a vote for continued educational success in our community.

Kim Andersen

Burnsville 

Dan Luth is

effective in 191

To the editor:

Dan Luth is one of School District 191’s most effective School Board members. He always does his homework before casting his vote. He researches all the issues that come before him. Not only is he a good board member, but he has been a highly involved parent in each of his children’s schools. On Nov 7, please vote for Dan Luth. He is committed to excellence in education for our kids.

Garey and Karen Korthauer

Savage 

‘Yes’ vote will

maintain excellence

To the editor:

As Americans we have a strong pride for our country. We love our country. Period. When we set the goal of going to the moon, we put resources into the space program and succeeded. When we set the goal of eradicating polio, we put resources into medical research and succeeded. We Minnesotans hold a core value of providing high-quality education to every child and ... wait a minute … Minnesota’s rank in education spending relative to income fell from 12th in 1996 to 28th in 2003. Five years ago, District 191 received $38.1 million. This year, only $23.1 million!We know from experience that providing resources to the classroom improves student achievement. After we approved the 2002 levy, and those resources were invested in our children, scores on standardized reading and math tests increased significantly here in the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District.How should we prepare Minnesota graduates for good jobs that maintain U.S. leadership in the world? The answer is to invest in our future by investing in our children’s future. The foundation for a strong community lies in its education. District 191 has done an admirable job squeezing every drop out of the money it receives. Gov. Tim Pawlenty set a benchmark that 70 percent of the school’s annual budget be directed to the classroom. District 191 exceeds that by almost 2 percent. I challenge any business the size of our school district, $93 million, to keep its administrative costs down at the 4 percent level.

Schools in the district have done the most with the little they have. Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs) have fund raisers and campaigns to fill in the gaps. Thanks to their support, our children are receiving an excellent education despite a funding environment that is barely adequate.

Without our support, our schools will again face cutbacks and, most likely, crowded classrooms. Vote “yes” to maintain the level we already have.

Paul F. Robinson

Savage 

Return Duke Powell

to state Legislature

To the editor:

Burnsville should be proud. Just two years ago, they voted to keep Duke Powell as their representative at the Minnesota State Legislature. They made the right choice. When you have made a good investment, it’s always wise to stay the course; people who chase the latest fad in their investments inevitably end up losing.The community made an investment in Rep. Powell, and it is paying off. One very important example is in education. Duke has always followed our school district as our representative, but he also follows our school district as the proud father of three children, two of whom have already graduated from Burnsville Senior High School. He knows the importance of having quality teachers in the classroom. That’s why he fought for alternative teacher compensation which rewards our teachers for their great work in the classroom, provides them with peer mentors and new career path opportunities. He has also worked hard to provide access to added revenue for school districts through their local levy referendums. And finally, we have a representative who is accessible to everyone, including our students from Vista View Elementary School who spent a couple of hours with their representative at the Minnesota Capitol.District 40A voters made the right decision two years ago; it is time to renew that decision and return Rep. Powell to the Minnesota State Legislature.

Ron Hill

Savage 

Dan Luth lives and

breathes education

To the editor:

It's time to return Dan Luth to the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School Board. He is one board member who will always stand up for what is best for our children; he does not follow the crowd. I have known Dan for 15 years and he has the experience to be a leader that our school district needs. He started out with our elementary school site council, served on district committees and then became a School Board member. He has a wealth of knowledge about education and brings it to bear on every issue that faces the school district.On top of all this, Dan Luth is a strategic thinker and has the ability to provide long-range planning leadership for our school district He lives and breathes strategy, and that's just what our school district needs as we face new opportunities from our ever changing community.

Marsha Hill

Savage 

Will Morgan will

get the job done

To the editor:

Will Morgan is intelligent, personable and able to explain his positions on the important issues we face in our state. His strength of character and respect for the people in District 40A make him the best candidate for the Minnesota House of Representatives. If elected, he will get the job done.

There have been dishonest caricatures of Will Morgan in recent political mailings. Negative ads for local elections tell us a great deal about the sender, and not much about the person they attack. I urge all voters to resist being manipulated by mean-spirited campaign tactics. The strength of our democracy depends on it.

Please inform yourselves about the candidates by looking at their positions on issues and their voting record. Then cast your vote based on sound information.

Michael Summerfield

Burnsville

Vote ‘no’ to raising

your taxes higher

To the editor:

My husband and I are saying “no” to the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District referendum. Why? In 2002, when the last referendum was on the ballot, we voted “yes.” We did so because “it’s for the kids,” and we didn’t want any guilt feelings for denying anything to our kids! The district also said they needed it to keep programs running and we didn’t want to disappoint our children.

After the 2002 referendum passed, an article appeared stating that the school district suddenly found they had an more money due to the referendum passing, so what did they do? Did they put that money away for a rainy day? No! They created a new program – all-day kindergarten. My reaction was to think what a sucker I was to have guilt push me into voting “yes” to something that raised my property taxes.

This state spends more money per student than most states in the nation. How much more will we need to keep feeding into this bottomless pit before the schools are satisfied? Should each and every Minnesotan donate an entire year’s salary? Is that enough?

Superintendent Ben Kanninen states that, with this referendum, property taxes will go up $228 on a home valued at $250,000. Maybe this doesn’t seem like so much, but add that to the county and city raising taxes, the rising cost of gas, and the rising cost of food, clothes, etc., due to higher shipping costs and it adds up significantly for the average working household. Don’t forget the rising cost of healthcare and insurance premiums! Do we all get raises at work to cover these costs? When costs go up, working households have to readjust budgets to make money stretch.

If you still feel guilty because it’s “for the kids,” vote “yes” but I, for one, am tired of feeling like a sucker.

Tori Eide

Savage

Parents are thankful

for community help

To the editor:

Late Sunday afternoon (Oct. 22) for over an hour, our 4-year-old son was missing.

As soon as word got out around our neighborhood, we had a search party looking for him. There were people we had never met searching for our little boy. The police were called and were at our house in minutes. We looked everywhere.

Luckily, some wonderful people discovered our son walking around with no shoes on, looking lost and they called the police. The police drove us the few miles away where our son had walked alone. It was a very happy reunion!

We just want to thank our wonderful neighbors, our police officers and the whole Savage community for giving us a happy ending!

Jason and Laura Moss

Savage