Many people often quote the 2002 School District 271 levy as an example of when Lakes Middle School was supposed to be fixed. Thanks to a lack of oversight by our Trustees, the money was spent elsewhere. But what about the 2006 School Plant Facilities Levy? Get ready for some déjà vu.

So after the District failed to fix Lakes in 2002, they foisted another Levy upon us. Here is a close-up from their “Basic Facts” sheet (above). See if this quote rings true:

So much for the “first” priority.

The issue here is trust. At tonight’s Trustees meeting, they passed a resolution this time promising to really, really spend the money on Lakes, should the May 20 Levy pass. They almost said that they’d cross their hearts and hope to die, but they didn’t. What I found pitiful about their resolution was that there is no enforcement or consequence should they once again spend the money on something else. Why should we trust them now?

In a business, the Trustees past actions with the 2002 and 2006 levies would constitute fraud. Yet at tonight’s meeting they seemed to shake it all off as if it were no big deal. In fact, Hazel Bauman spoke about last week’s meeting with angry taxpayers as if it were a milk-and-cookies party put on by the PTA. She said everything she could about the meeting except for what happened and how people felt. If you didn’t read the CDA Press article on the meeting, then you’d think that there was no problem with this levy. Amazing!

Also at the meeting, again, Harry Amend justified the rebuild as cheaper by comparing it to the Rogers High School remodel in Spokane. Mary Souza fully debunked that myth in her blog post here, but Harry continues the spin (probably because he doesn’t really know and, unlike Mary, hasn’t actually spoken with anyone involved with the Rogers remodel).

Taxpayers have paid for the Lake Middle School remodel two times. The Trustees blew it. They deserve to be thrown out of office. When they’re replaced, and accountability is restored, then we can begin to address the needs of students at Lakes, and return responsibility to the public.