A “forever” tax
To the editor: The Lake school board is asking voters to make renewal levies permanent. They refer to it as voter fatigue.

The fact is, voters will no longer have the right to vote on them as they will be permanent. This idea is very good for the schools as they will then have a forever tax.

The voters should have the right to vote on each and every tax issue. The current system of renewal levies as they come up is much better.

The control is kept with the voters, as it should be.
Robert D. Sedlmeier
Walbridge

Funds “legislated out”
To the editor: I am supporting the Oregon Schools Levy on Nov. 2. 

As a retired teacher, my job does not depend on the passage of this levy, and my children have completed their education in the Oregon schools.

I have read the previous letters in The Press concerning the district levy and would like to register the following comments: Regarding teacher absence, there are occasions when a few teachers suffer serious illnesses and have to take time off, and all teachers know that there should be a sound reason to be absent from work.  When you are a teacher, there is a great deal more work to do after the absence as well as the loss of learning continuity.

With respect to the higher salaries of Oregon teachers, I reviewed John Szozda’s chart on area salaries listed in The Press. Although at certain steps there is an occasional rise in salary as compared with other districts, Oregon tends to list at the lower end in compensation. The older staff may render a higher average pay, but at the beginning and ending/or highest salary levels, only one school district pays less than Oregon in the bachelor’s degree column.  The masters degree column at the highest or final pay level manifests Oregon with the lowest salary.  At lower salary levels, it is difficult to attract the best teachers.

Especially at this time, it is unfortunate that the schools have to ask the voters for additional money to keep the schools going.  However, this situation was pre-determined by actions of the state legislature when a relatively wealthy school district was “legislated out” of its due revenues and therefore, overall, diverted money from the industries with whom it resides.

This alone should be the primary issue about which Oregon school residents should be furious.
Mary Ann (Flannagan) Cervantes

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