Barchas letter: School bonds

In this day of “post-truth,” I was disheartened by the promotional material the Boise School District and Yes For Boise Schools recently mailed to voters. The fact that “There will be no raise in the tax rate,” is repeatedly touted, while the explanation for this is buried in the fine print. If the bond is approved, voters will be giving up a tax decrease brought on by the expiration of another bond and a levy. These bonds are often promoted as a limited tax increase for a certain number of years, but if every time one expires it is replaced with another, it becomes a permanent tax. I am a big supporter of public schools, but I do not support raising money in a misleading way. The Boise School District needs to set an example for its students and give all of the facts. How much is the bond going to cost per $100,000 of assessed value, and how many years will it last?

This story was originally published February 24, 2017 at 7:28 PM with the headline "Barchas letter: School bonds."