(Letter to the Editor - Graphic Illustration/MetroCreativeConnection)

I liked your article on the levy. But it would help voters to decide if you would do the math and write an article on partly how much an average house owner would pay if it passes. Monthly, annually and over the course to the end. Plus take the fact that in a few years they will want an operating levy. I am for better schools, just not this way, that may run seniors or anyone living on a tight budget out of the area. All rental properties will raise their rent because of the increase — another thing to point out.

Example: I just moved back to Belpre and purchased a home for $225,000. If I did the math right. My taxes, just to support this, would increase $2,700 a year on top of my current property tax. In 10 years that’s $27,000 in 20 it’s $54,000.

Get the point? Please let people know why some are against this levy. There has to be a better plan for our kids. I am 72 years old, raised two boys and now have four grandkids. I am not against better education, just uneducated decisions made because it’s the easiest way to do it. Back to the drawing board and give us a better choice or plan.

Belpre has a large population of senior citizens that can’t afford the extra money this would take from them. Parents that are for this because they have kids in school, I hope they can afford this after their kids graduate. Or maybe their plan would be to move after they do. I get Social Security and military compensation for disability. With the mortgage I have recently taken out, I will have $200 a week to spend on everything else, which includes food, gasoline, clothes, vehicle expenses, house upkeep, and some recreational thing I do.

With that kind of an increase in taxes I am not sure I can afford to live here either.

Rodney Joachim

Belpre