ARGUMENT AGAINST MEASURE Q

Would you give a contractor a blank check without knowing what you were getting for your money? Without plans, specifications, and bids that’s exactly what Measure Q does.

Measure Q appears to be written as an after thought, not a serious ballot measure showing a proven need for upgrades and growth. The economy is good, so let’s get more spending money by taxing the property owner mentality is blatant in this measure. For example, what are the costs to provide students with access to additional classroom computers, repair and upgrade classroom communication systems, or repair and upgrade heating and ventilation systems? Why haven’t student rest rooms been renovated long before now to provide for handicapped access, as required by law? What have they been doing with the money they get every year?

Once again we are told that the money from the general obligation bonds will only be spent on improving our schools since the law prohibits using bond funds for the payment of salaries. Whereas bond money may not be used for salaries, regular budget money can. By providing bonds as a new source of revenue, money in the regular budget that would normally go for repair, upgrades, and improvements can go to salaries instead. Therefore, passage of this bond measure will not stop salary increases as the full ballot text fraudulently implies.

When will our elected officials learn to live within the year to year revenue increases available to them from existing taxes instead of always adding new taxes? This certainly won’t happen as long as you and I continue to tax ourselves. Bond measures only encourage irresponsible pork barrel spending and certainly won’t force our elected officials to be fiscally responsible.

"Stop-Em" Committee Against Measure Q
s/ Carolyn M. Busenhart, Chairman