Dear editor:
Upon learning of the WCSD request for tax referendum exception I wrote to the Pennsylvania Department of Education for clarification of the referendum exception process. I received a response that in its explanation included the following sentence, "Act 1 does not permit the Department to substantively review proposed budgets and evaluate other financial data to determine whether there are alternative mechanisms that a school district could utilize to balance its proposed budget." Read that again my friends. The Department of Education is not permitted to review the numbers? In essence a loophole exists taking away the right of the voter to voice their desires on the tax referendum.
If that isn't enough to make you take a deep breath and grab your back pocket a report in the March 14 Times Observer regarding the upcoming meeting between the WCSD and ECS, had the following statement from solicitor Chris Byham, "the financial ramifications of a charter can't be considered as reasons for approving or denying the application." Once again a numbers review is not permitted.
Is it just me or is something wrong with this picture?
Betty Fitzgerald
Youngsville