Dear Editor,

I am writing this letter hoping to inform those who are not on social media. The Belleville School District has a recurring operating referendum on the November 8 ballot requesting additional funding of $999,999. I will refer to it as $1M. I do not doubt that the $1M is needed given our State legislators school funding (or lack of), however, this referendum is a recurring operating referendum. This means the taxpayer is on the hook for $1M every year, forever. If the State school funding returns to normal operating levels, the taxpayer would continue to be hit with the $1M each year. I could support the referendum if it was $1M for a 2-5 year term or a specified time period but feel we are strapping future generations with the $1M, and they will have had no say in the decision.

I encourage the public to vote no on this recurring operating referendum. If this referendum is voted down, I would hope the next referendum will have a specified length of time. It is only right that the taxpayer has a vote from time to time on funding rather than just giving $1M every year forever.

Eldon Zimmerman,

Belleville