Financial burden is too much for taxpayers
Dear Editor
I would like to comment on an article I read in your paper dated Aug. 18, regarding the Lehighton School Board's attempt to acquire another grant based on the number of children on the school lunch programs.
Per the article there are currently enrolled 44 percent of children in the middle school and 32.7 percent in the high school that meet the guidelines for the state's free or reduced lunch program. Under the National School Lunch Act, free meals are provided for students from families with income below 130 percent of the federal poverty level.
The school district is looking for 16 more children to meet the state's minimum of 50 percent total for the high school.
Now don't get me wrong, this is a most-needed program for those who are in need it of it, and I totally support this program.
Now that I have set the stage, please allow me to continue: Is this telling me that 50 percent of the students are in poverty households? Couple this with the demographics of our area where 40 percent or more of seniors are on a fixed income. If this is so, then who is going to pay for the school construction projects? And why is the school board attempting to push their building agenda of $90-plus million on us taxpayers?
The tax structure will start to increase four years after the construction starts. The seniors and those on the free or reduced lunch program will most likely be very surprised with the tax increases to follow on all of us.
The regular meeting attendees have witnessed the school board president and its attorney give no mercy to seniors, the financially challenged and sickly taxpayers who have previously come to the meetings asking for financial relief before their foreclosures.
Please come to the school board meetings on the second and fourth Mondays of each month to attempt to understand what is really going on, as this will affect all of us.
I am not against schools or education but only on how the school board five is pushing this project's financial burden on its taxpayers.
Sincerely,
Frank Tamburri
