Response to ‘no to higher taxes’ letter

RE: No to higher taxes letter, Aug. 19

Like the writer, I am a retired local resident on a fixed income with no children in WPSD. Unlike him, however, I believe restoring adequate funding to our schools is critically important. Students deserve a rich, challenging learning environment, along with extracurricular activities that enrich their education and foster a sense of community.

I have been one of those working to get an initiative on the ballot to provide additional funding. The writer is incorrect that WPSD is behind this effort. I have yet to see a single board member or WPSD staffer involved in any way. The leadership and shoe leather are instead being provided by a devoted group of local parents and public education advocates.
The writer’s assertion that “revenues have increased significantly” is misleading. State funding has declined steadily since 2020. The former sales tax briefly provided a growing revenue stream, but its repeal eliminated more than $3 million annually.

When I moved here, the district did not even have a CFO, and WPSD’s books were a mess. Current CFO David Kuritar has done an excellent job clarifying the district’s financial position and working with the board to meet basic educational needs. But the situation remains dire, and Kuritar cannot create revenue from nothing.

Someday, I may depend on WPSD graduates to provide my care and evaluate my condition. I sincerely hope their education has prepared them with the knowledge, reasoning, and critical-thinking skills to do that job well

Pat Miller, Woodland Park