The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Letters

July 24, 2009

Consolidation should be part of Case debate

Lisa Koss

Sharon



At the Sharon board meeting July 20th I expressed my reasons for opposing any major renovations at this time. The taxpayers simply cannot afford it. There is virtually no tax base to draw from other than the individual homeowner.

I brought up the subject of consolidation because I believe this valley eventually will have no choice. On Feb. 4, Governor Rendell released a news statement that he wants to slash the number of districts statewide, eliminating 400 of the 501 districts. He wants a committee to study consolidation and return recommendations within a year.

School director Christopher Gavin looked into consolidation two years ago and got practically zero interest from neighboring districts.

The economic climate has changed dramatically in the last two years. Also, I don’t think based on what the governor is proposing that districts are going to have a choice in the matter.

Some districts across the state, realizing the huge saving to taxpayers, have already consolidated. About 40 miles south of us is the Seneca Valley school district. Their enrollment last year was 7,363. One superintendent is all that they employ. The total estimated population of our five neighboring districts is just over 8,000.

Board President Melvin Bandzak says if we just put a Band-Aid on Case we may only get 10 to 15 years out of it. That’s probably 5 to 10 more years than we’ll need once consolidation becomes mandated.

At the meeting, six of the directors gave the taxpayers the respect of telling us a little about what plan they favored, if any, and why they were leaning in a certain direction.

The others offered nothing even though they were afforded the opportunity repeatedly. If they were prepared to vote then they should have been prepared to explain the logic behind their vote.

Lastly, I totally support making the repairs needed to Case to make it structurally sound and safe. Nobody denies our students need a safe school.

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