LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: JACKSON BOARD ONLY WANTED TO HEAR ONE SIDE

To the editor:

Just as expected, the Jackson Board of Education voted last Tuesday to place the proposed $6 million bond issue back on the ballot for the November general election.

For all you Jackson voters, this will be the third time this year. The first two times the issues on the ballot were soundly defeated. The proposal to be placed on the ballot this time has been modified from the original configuration to something thought to be more conservative and appealing to taxpayers.

The school board, in its relentless attack on the taxpayers, doesn't seem to care about anything other than additional funding. The operating levy increases were omitted from the ballot this time rather than postponed, but we can expect to see them again on the ballot in the near future. Count on it.

Since it was open to the public, I attended the board meeting last Tuesday. I was surprised to see very few parents. You would think if conditions at the schools were as bad as the board sees them that the room would have been crammed full of irate parents with standing room only.

Several teachers were there who, for obvious reasons, favored a resolution to place the funds proposal back on the November ballot. There were some who opposed any additional funding that would spell a larger tax bill. I was in that group.

I heard several people offer suggestions for ways to alleviate crowded conditions at the junior high school, but I wasn't convinced the board was receptive to hearing anything other than the need for additional funds.

I am still convinced we need more time to evaluate the impact of the accelerated growth rate of our city rather than indiscriminately petitioning the citizens for increased taxes.

RICHARD BRUCE

Jackson, Mo.