Letters

On behalf of the Bluffton Schools Board of Education and the levy committee, I would like to thank you for your support of our renewal on Tuesday, May 7.  We will continue to spend these permanent improvement dollars wisely and will continue to show the community where this money is spent each year.  We are very proud of our school and the community that supports it.  Thank you, again, for all you do for our district!

Sincerely,

Greg Denecker
Superintendent, Bluffton Schools

Next Tuesday, May 7, voters in the Bluffton School District will decide if they want to approve the renewal of the existing Permanent Improvement Levy. I encourage them to vote in favor of this renewal. This levy provides money to pay for repairs and improvements to our school buildings. Since the original levy was passed, many projects have been completed. Among them are new roofs, heating and air conditioning upgrades, plumbing repairs, new energy efficient windows and doors, new science labs, and many more. However, since our buildings are mostly old, further repairs and upgrades will be ongoing. Since the governor and legislature have drastically cut state funding for education, our local school budget has had to be reduced to the point where further cuts or unexpected maintenance will begin to affect the quality of education in our Bluffton schools.

This vote will be to RENEW the existing ½ % Income Tax for Permanent Improvements.
It is NOT a new tax, but will simply continue what is presently paid by Bluffton citizens to support the schools that belong to them and to their children and Grandchildren.

Because of this extra income for the school system, my grandchildren in elementary school can attend classes in comfort thanks to the new air conditioning systems put in place for the Kindergarten through 4th grades

Because of this extra income for the school system, my nieces and nephews in the high school can safely have gym classes and basketball or volleyball games due to the new ceiling in the gym.

Seven score and ten years ago Abraham Lincoln was facing a country divided by slavery, but today we face a different kind of division.   Republican vs. Democrat — Christian vs. Humanist, gun control vs. gun rights, and Abortion vs. Pro-Life.  If I was Abraham Lincoln today and was facing a country so divided, I would not know where to begin. Being brought up in a Christian home, I suppose I would begin by encouraging Christians to live and die completely for God.  But I do not think that is enough to bring this nation together to fight economic and political ruin.