For the second time this year, the Arlington School District is proposing a $107.5 million bond to be repaid by all homeowners for the next 21 years. I encourage you to vote no on this proposal.
Homeowners have been paying the existing school construction bond for 19 years. That bond is not paid off until 2020. If this proposal passes, we will be making bond payments for 40 consecutive years, without a break. This is an unreasonable burden.
The district estimates that school property taxes will be reduced under this proposal. There is no guarantee of that. If the estimate is wrong, and other school taxes go up, we will be committed to the increased amount for 21 more years.
The estimate of $1.66 per $1,000 of home value would represent a cost of $581 for the owner of a home worth $350,000; some would pay much more, others less. This is money we will not owe once the current bond is paid off, so long as the proposed new bond is rejected.
While this proposal is being sold as needed to replace Post Middle School and add to the high school, monies that will be collected will also be used for sports fields and other uses. The district made no effort to remove those costs in the new proposal.
It is time for homeowners to give themselves some real tax relief. Please vote no on the Arlington School Bond.
Joseph Amma
Arlington
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