On May 16, Monroe city voters will head to the polls to decide the fate of two property tax measures. Together, these taxes are slated to generate approximately $84 million over the next decade for Monroe City Schools. It is a significant financial commitment—one that deserves the utmost clarity, rigorous scrutiny, and honest communication from the officials asking for our support.
Unfortunately, what we are receiving instead is a campaign characterized by obfuscation.
Neither the superintendent nor any elected member of the school board has taken the initiative to host community meetings to address the public’s concerns. This silence is unacceptable, particularly when the messaging surrounding these proposals appears intentionally misleading. The school board is selling these measures to the public as “renewals.” However, a critical examination reveals this label is deceitful. While the assessment amounts may remain consistent, the stated purposes are not the same as those from ten years ago.
A decade ago, voters were given a detailed “plan book”—a roadmap outlining which buildings would be renovated and which new facilities would be constructed. Those projects have been completed. Therefore, claiming that these new taxes are simply a “renewal of purpose” is a factual error.
Without a specific, binding plan attached to this ballot call, these taxes amount to an $84 million blank check.
The public has legitimate, pressing questions that remain unanswered:
- Will these funds be earmarked for campus security enhancements, such as additional school resource officers?
- Is there a plan to ensure every teacher is supported by a paraprofessional rather than relying solely on existing allocations for special-needs classrooms?
- Can these revenues be used to provide much-needed increases in teacher salaries?
- In the next 10 years, does the district anticipate a need to merge or consolidate schools?
Voters should not be expected to tax themselves without knowing exactly where their money is going. If the purpose of these funds is not explicitly spelled out, the ballot measures are effectively blank checks.
Transparency is the bedrock of public trust. If the school board truly believes these expenditures are necessary, it owes the community a comprehensive written plan outlining specific objectives for the next decade. Please attach this document to the ballot call so every voter knows exactly what they are supporting.
We must demand more than vague promises. We should not be expected to vote for continuation of taxation in the dark.
On May 16, the voters of Monroe deserve to cast an informed ballot, not a blind one.
