I was both concerned and disheartened to learn about the recent citizen’s petition to place a $27,000 per student cap on the Kearsarge Regional School District budget. One wonders whether the proponents of this petition have considered the realities of school funding, including paying educators a fair wage and handling rising insurance and maintenance costs. Rather than considering the needs of actual students, the petitioners have chosen an arbitrary number and would force our district to work within it, regardless of the outcomes. And what would these outcomes be? Those more familiar with the numbers have suggested that it puts either the Sutton or the Simonds Elementary school at risk of closure and could eliminate 85-95 positions, along with removing sports, arts, and STEM programs.

I know taxes are a real concern. But budgets should be handled carefully through conversations with people who understand the costs and effects of cutting programs, and through conversations with stakeholders who are actually affected by cuts, rather than through arbitrary caps imposed by a small minority. As a Kearsarge alumnus myself (KRHS class of ‘03), I believe this is the best way to keep both the schools, and our towns, strong, and hope you can come vote against this misinformed movement at the Kearsarge School District Deliberative Session on Saturday, Jan. 4 at 9 a.m.

Ian Rogers

Warner